Chernobyl's nuclear threat returns: Forest fires in Ukraine cause radioactive particles to be released over Europe
- Chernobyl disaster released 85 petabecquerels of radioactive caesium
- There is up to eight petabecquerels (PBqs) in soil in the exclusion zone
- Following three forest fires in Ukraine scientists measured radiation levels
- The fires caused 0.5 PBq to released over eastern Europe as smoke
- While people in Kiev would have been exposed to 10 microsieverts of radiation, or one per cent of the permitted yearly dose
- Experts predict fires will increase as a result of global warming
- This in turn could increase exposure and cause radiation to enter crops
It's
been 29 years since an explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear plant in
Ukraine released large doses of radiation across Europe.
But the effects of that devastating event could still be affecting the continent as a result of recent forest fires in Ukraine.
According
to new research, these fires are causing radioactive caesium in the
soil around the nuclear plant to be released into the atmosphere as
smoke, which then travels across Eastern Europe.
Scroll down for video
Following three forest fires in
Ukraine (stock image), scientists from the Norwegian Institute for Air
Research measured radiation levels in the soil and atmosphere. They
discovered that these fires caused around 0.5 petabecquerels of
radioactive caesium to be released over eastern Europe as smoke
Scientists also warned that the situation could get worse as climate change made these fires more common.
The Chernobyl disaster occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine.
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An explosion and fire released radioactive particles into the atmosphere, which spread over much of the western USSR and Europe.
There
is still an exclusion zone in place that measures approximately 1,000
square miles (2,600 square km) and surrounds the plant.
In
total, it is believed the Chernobyl disaster released around 85
petabecquerels (PBq) of radioactive Caesium into the atmosphere.
Between two and eight PBq can still be found in the upper layers of the soil in the exclusion zone.
In 2002, 2008 and 2010, three forest fires swept through the region.
Experts
from the Norwegian Institute for Air Research sought to better
understand if these fires released radiation into the air.
Using
satellite images to track the spread of the fires, with measurements of
Caesium-137 in the area, the researchers created models of air
movements.
They
estimate that 0.5 PBq was released in smoke that travelled over eastern
Europe, as far south as Turkey and as far west as Scandinavia.
While people in Kiev would have been exposed to an average dose of 10 microsieverts of radiation, according to New Scientist - or 1 per cent of the permitted yearly dose
Although
this sounds relatively small, the team also explained that because the
fires would create an uneven spread of radiation, doses could be either
much higher or could affect food crops.
For example, mushrooms easily absorb Caesium-137 and, if ingested, the exposure would be higher and more concentrated.
‘The
internal dose from ingestion can be significant,’ said co-author Tim
Mousseau, and cancers could be hard to spot, but 'significant.'
As
part of the research, experts also modelled how fires in the region
will peak between 2023 and 2036 as the area becomes drier as a result of
climate change, according to predictions made by the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change.
To
put this into perspective, the human body typically experiences around
5,000 Bq of radiation as a result of radioactive isotopes within the
body.
In total, its believed the Chernobyl
disaster released around 85 petabecquerels (PBq) of radioactive caesium
into the atmosphere. The spread of radiation following the 1986
explosion is pictured. Between two and eight PBq can still be found in
the upper layers of the soil in the exclusion zone
The exclusion zone (pictured) measures
approximately 1,000 square miles (2,600 square km) and surrounds the
power plant. Following the fires in 2002, 2008 and 2010, people near
this region would have been exposed to an average dose of 10
microsieverts of radiation - or 1 per cent of the permitted yearly dose
The Chernobyl disaster occurred on 26
April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. An explosion
in a reactor and fire released large quantities of radioactive
particles into the atmosphere, which spread over much of the western
USSR and Europe. The fourth reactor is pictured in 1982
And there are 1,000,000,000,000,000 Bq in a PBq.
During the accident 31 people died, and long-term effects such as cancers and deformities are still being accounted for.
However, the exact figure is highly contested.
The
UN's World Health Organisation and the International Atomic Energy
Agency recently said only 56 people have died as a direct result of the
radiation, and 4,000 will die in later years.
But the International Agency for Research on Cancer puts this latter figure as high as 16,000 deaths.
Meanwhile,
the Belarus national academy of sciences estimates 93,000 deaths so far
and 270,000 cancers, and the Ukrainian national commission for
radiation protection calculates 500,000 deaths.
The
battle to contain the contamination and avert a greater catastrophe
ultimately involved more than 500,000 workers and cost an estimated £11
billion ($18 billion).
The findings are published in the ESA journal Ecological Monographs.
THE POST-APOCALYPTIC WORLD OF PRIPYAT
A Devon-based documentary maker recently captured the decaying region of Pripyat in Ukraine using a drone.
Pripyat was once home to a population of 50,000 and is just a few miles from the Chernobyl power plant.
A Devon-based documentary maker
recently captured the decaying region of Pripyat in Ukraine using a
drone (pictured). Pripyat was once home to 50,000 people and is just a
few miles from the Chernobyl power plant
The
footage shows Pripyat being taken over by nature. Eerie views of rusted
bumper cars and scattered papers are placed alongside golden flowers
and trees growing among buildings.
While
many images have emerged of Pripyat since the disaster, this footage is
the first to provide a drone's-eye view of its abandoned remains.
Danny
Cooke filmed the footage, named 'Postcards from Pripyat, Chernobyl',
while working on a '60 Minutes' segment for CBS News about the Chernobyl
Exclusion Zone.
The footage shows Pripyat being taken
over by nature. Eerie views of rusted bumper cars and a Ferris wheel
(pictured) are placed alongside golden flowers and trees growing among
buildings. While many images have emerged of Pripyat since the disaster,
this footage is the first to provide a drone's-eye view of its remains
It was captured using a Geiger counter, a DJI Phantom 2 quadcopter, a Canon 7D camera and a GoPro3+.
Pripyat is now believed to be safe to visit for short periods as the isotopes released during the disaster have since decayed.
Hundreds of abandoned gas masks can be
seen inside a building in Pripyat. Although tens of thousands of people
evacuated the area, a few residents refused to leave
Danny Cooke filmed the footage (grab
pictured), named 'Postcards from Pripyat, Chernobyl', while working on a
'60 Minutes' segment for CBS News about the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
It was captured using a Geiger counter, a DJI Phantom 2 quadcopter, a
Canon 7D camera and a GoPro3+
Posts
It's clear that all kinds of forests are in high danger of burning, especially in hot weather. But the weather is not so hot there now. As to reason of wildfire there because of no man land, I hardly think that so dangerous territory is not regularly and carefully patrolled by special support services. I read about it just in 2013
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dailyclimate.org/tdc-newsroom/2013/06/chernobyl-forest-fire
Thus, it seems to me so large forest fire in this zone could be allowed to "develop" only with completely specific aim. Chances are Ukrainian main partners, Americans, have advised to tough up Europe in such a horrible way to increase its aid for restoring collapsed Ukraine's economy. The more so that Americans are far away from the very Chernobyl, but sick and tired of solving Ukrainian problems alone...
Hiya,, thanks for the info. They are now saying it's possibly arson.
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