UDC

504.5(470.11)

Authors

Kiselev Georgy Petrovich
Institute of Ecological Problems of the North, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Arkhangelsk, Russia)
е-mail: kiselevgp@yandex.ru
Bazhenov Aleksandr Viktorovich
Institute of Ecological Problems of the North, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Arkhangelsk, Russia)
е-mail: abv-2009@yandex.ru
Kiseleva Irina Mikhailovna
Institute of Ecological Problems of the North, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Arkhangelsk, Russia)
е-mail: kiselevaim@yandex.ru
Druzhinin Sergey Valerievich
Institute of Ecological Problems of the North, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Arkhangelsk, Russia)
е-mail: druzhininserg@yandex.ru

Abstract

In the second half of the XX^th century in the Arkhangelsk region three unit underground nuclear explosions for seismic sounding of the Earth’s crust and mantle under the code names «Agate», «Globe-2», «Rubin-1» were set off. To determine the impact of radioactivity on the environment in the areas of the epicenters of these explosions the sampled soils, sediments of lakes, streams, rivers, vegetation samples were studied in the laboratory of environment Radiology of the Institute of Ecological Problems of the North, RAS at the gamma spectrometer «Progress». The activity of artificial isotope ¹³⁷Cs and natural isotopes ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th was determined. The increased activity of ¹³⁷Cs (137 Bq/kg) in a peat horizon is conditioned by the property of peatlands to accumulate migratory isotope ¹³⁷Cs dropped out earlier with precipitation, and is not associated with the effects of a nuclear explosion. In sediments the content of isotope ¹³⁷Cs can be up to 20.7 Bq / kg in the range 0.00-0.05 cm due to the fact that the upper layer is represented by sludge and organics. The study of the sphagnum samples does not show radioactive contamination of vegetation in the epicentral areas. Activity of natural isotopes ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th in soils, in the sections of sediments, sphagnum matches their regional levels. Volume activity of radon (OAR) up to 1688 Bq / l in soil gas in the vicinity of the wellhead «Agate» can be linked with a traced zone of fractures in the bedrock in the north-west, or by the accumulation of boulders at the site of the bedrock in moraine deposits. Receipt of ²²²Ra to 10 Bq / l to the lake located near the wellhead «Agate» comes from the abnormal area. the flow of ²²²Ra to the water of the lake from its bottom, formed after the explosion of the fracture is also expected. Dosimetric survey showed the ambient dose equivalent rate in the area of Ground Zero is safe.

Keywords

industrial nuclear explosion, epicenter of a nuclear explosion, volume activity of 222Rn, dosimetric survey, ambient dose equivalent rate of gamma radiation, soil horizons, bottom sediments, active isotopes

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