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The Use of 14C in Natural Materials to Establish the Average Gaseous Dispersion Patterns of Releases from Nuclear Installations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

R L Otlet
Affiliation:
Low Level Measurements Laboratory, AERE, Harwell, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RA, UK
A J Walker
Affiliation:
Low Level Measurements Laboratory, AERE, Harwell, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RA, UK
H Longley
Affiliation:
Environmental Section, British Nuclear Fuels Ltd, Sellafield, Cumbria, CA20 1PF, UK
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Abstract

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The Harwell Low Level measurements Laboratory has been measuring a variety of natural materials from locations close to United Kingdom nuclear installations since 1977. The measurements are made first, to establish the past effects of releases to the atmosphere of 14C as observed from individual tree rings and second, to establish dispersion contours averaged over extended periods. The main study area has been in Cumbria, around the BNFL nuclear installation at Sellafield. 14C, which can be measured to good precision even at values close to the normal natural levels, provides a powerful technique for the provision of practical experimental values much wanted for theoretical dispersion models.

Type
VI. Anthropogenic 14C Variations
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

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