Analysis of Radionuclide Releases from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident Part II

The present part of the publication (Part II) deals with long range dispersion of radionuclides emitted into the atmosphere during the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident that occurred after the March 11, 2011 tsunami. The first part (Part I) is dedicated to the accident features relying on radionuclide detections performed by monitoring stations of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization network. In this study, the emissions of the three fission products Cs-137, I-131 and Xe-133 are investigated. Regarding Xe-133, the total release is estimated to be of the order of 6 × 10¹⁸ Bq emitted during the explosions of units 1, 2 and 3. The total source term estimated gives a fraction of core inventory of about 8 × 10¹⁸ Bq at the time of reactors shutdown. This result suggests that at least 80 % of the core inventory has been released into the atmosphere and indicates a broad meltdown of reactor cores. Total atmospheric releases of Cs-137 and I-131 aerosols are estimated to be 10¹⁶ and 10¹⁷ Bq, respectively. By neglecting gas/particulate conversion phenomena, the total release of I-131 (gas + aerosol) could be estimated to be 4 × 10¹⁷ Bq. Atmospheric transport simulations suggest that the main air emissions have occurred during the events of March 14, 2011 (UTC) and that no major release occurred after March 23. The radioactivity emitted into the atmosphere could represent 10 % of the Chernobyl accident releases for I-131 and Cs-137.     

The 3640–3510 BC rhyodacite eruption of Chachimbiro compound volcano,Ecuador: a violent directed blast produced by a satellite dome

Based on geochronological, petrological, stratigraphical, and sedimentological data, this paper describes the deposits left by the most powerful Holocene eruption of Chachimbiro compound volcano, in the northern part of Ecuador. The eruption, dated between 3640 and 3510 years BC, extruded a ～650-m-wide and ～225-m-high rhyodacite dome, located 6.3 km east of the central vent, that exploded and produced a large pyroclastic density current (PDC) directed to the southeast followed by a sub-Plinian eruptive column drifted by the wind to the west. The PDC deposit comprises two main layers. The lower layer (L1) is massive, typically coarse-grained and fines-depleted, with abundant dense juvenile fragments from the outgassed dome crust. The upper layer (L2) consists of stratified coarse ash and lapilli laminae, with juvenile clasts showing a wide density range (0.7–2.6 g cm^?3). The thickness of the whole deposit ranges from few decimeters on the hills to several meters in the valleys. Deposits extending across six valleys perpendicular to the flow direction allowed us to determine a minimum velocity of 120 m s^?1. These characteristics show striking similarities with deposits of high-energy turbulent stratified currents and in particular directed blasts. The explosion destroyed most of the dome built during the eruption. Subsequently, the sub-Plinian phase left a decimeter-thick accidental-fragment-rich pumice layer in the Chachimbiro highlands. Juvenile clasts, rhyodacitic in composition (SiO₂?=?68.3 wt%), represent the most differentiated magma of Chachimbiro volcano. Magma processes occurred at two different depths (～14.4 and 8.0 km). The hot (～936 °C) deep reservoir fed the central vent while the shallow reservoir (～858 °C) had an independent evolution, probably controlled by El Angel regional fault system. Such destructive eruptions, related to peripheral domes, are of critical importance for hazard assessment in large silicic volcanic complexes such as those forming the Frontal Volcanic Arc of Ecuador and Colombia.     

Pyroclastic flow erosion and bulking processes: comparing field-based vs. modeling results at Tungurahua volcano,Ecuador

Pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) are high-temperature and high-velocity mixtures that threaten populations in the vicinity of many active volcanoes. Deciphering the cause of their remarkable mobility is essential for volcanic hazard analysis, but remains difficult because of the complex processes occurring within the flows. Here, we investigate the effect of bulking on dense PDC mobility by means of a double approach. First, we estimate the amount of material incorporated into scoria flows emplaced during the August 2006 eruption of Tungurahua volcano, Ecuador. For this, we carry out a detailed analysis of 3D-corrected digital images of well-exposed scoria flow deposits. Componentry analysis indicates that PDC bulking occurs principally on the steep (>25°) upper slope of the volcano, and the deposits typically comprise 40–50 wt% of non-juvenile (i.e., accessory and accidental) material. Secondly, we develop a simple stress-related grain-by-grain equation of erosion combined with two simple depth-averaged geophysical mass-flow models that compare the bulking mechanism to a non-fluidized and a fluidized flow. Two behaviors based on Coulomb and plastic rheologies are used to reproduce, on a first order basis, the 2006 Tungurahua PDCs. Cross-check comparisons between these modeled cases and the erosion pattern inferred from field-based data allow us to evaluate the accuracy of our modeling assumptions. Regardless of the rheological regime, the PDC-induced erosion pattern of the 2006 Tungurahua eruption can only be reproduced by fluctuations of the flow’s basal shear stress during emplacement. Such variations are controlled by flow thinning-thickening processes, notably through the formation of a thick non-erosive flow body that pushes a thin frictional erosive front during PDC emplacement. The input volume of juvenile material, as well as the thickness of the erodible layer available prior to the eruption, are additional key parameters. Our work highlights complexities in PDC erosion and bulking processes that deserve further study. In terms of hazard assessment, our findings reveal that incorporation and bulking translate into increased flow mobility, i.e., the augmented flow mass enhances both flow velocity and runout distance (up to 20 %). These outcomes should be considered closely for hazard analysis at many other andesitic volcanoes worldwide where similar PDC events are common.     

Seasonal dynamics and stoichiometry of the planktonic community in the NW Mediterranean Sea: a 3D modeling approach

The 3D hydrodynamic Model for Applications at Regional Scale (MARS3D) was coupled with a biogeochemical model developed with the Ecological Modular Mechanistic Modelling (Eco3M) numerical tool. The three-dimensional coupled model was applied to the NW Mediterranean Sea to study the dynamics of the key biogeochemical processes in the area in relation with hydrodynamic constraints. In particular, we focused on the temporal and spatial variability of intracellular contents of living and non-living compartments. The conceptual scheme of the biogeochemical model accounts for the complex food web of the NW Mediterranean Sea (34 state variables), using flexible plankton stoichiometry. We used mechanistic formulations to describe most of the biogeochemical processes involved in the dynamics of marine pelagic ecosystems. Simulations covered the period from September 1, 2009 to January 31, 2011 (17 months), which enabled comparison of model outputs with situ measurements made during two oceanographic cruises in the region (Costeau-4: April 27–May 2, 2010 and Costeau-6: January 23–January 27, 2011).     

Assessing temporary carbon sequestration and storage projects through land use, land-use change and forestry: comparison of dynamic life cycle assessment with ton-year approaches

In order to properly assess the climate impact of temporary carbon sequestration and storage projects through land-use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF), it is important to consider their temporal aspect. Dynamic life cycle assessment (dynamic LCA) was developed to account for time while assessing the potential impact of life cycle greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. In this paper, the dynamic LCA approach is applied to a temporary carbon sequestration project through afforestation, and the results are compared with those of the two principal ton-year approaches: the Moura-Costa and the Lashof methods. The dynamic LCA covers different scenarios, which are distinguished by the assumptions regarding what happens at the end of the sequestration period. In order to ascertain the degree of compensation of an emission through a LULUCF project, the ratio of the cumulative impact of the project to the cumulative impact of a baseline GHG emission is calculated over time. This ratio tends to 1 when assuming that, after the end of the sequestration project period, the forest is maintained indefinitely. Conversely, the ratio tends to much lower values in scenarios where part of the carbon is released back to the atmosphere due to e.g. fire or forest exploitation. The comparison of dynamic LCA with the ton-year approaches shows that it is a more flexible approach as it allows the consideration of every life cycle stage of the project and it gives decision makers the opportunity to test the sensitivity of the results to the choice of different time horizons.     

Thermodynamic mixing properties of olivine derived from lattice vibrations

We use a lattice vibrational technique to derive thermophysical and thermochemical properties of fayalite, Fe₂SiO₄. This semi-empirical technique is based on an extension of Kieffer’s model to incorporate details of the phonon spectrum. It includes treatment of intrinsic anharmonicity and electronic effects based on crystal field theory. We extend it to predict thermodynamic mixing properties of olivine (Mg,Fe)₂SiO₄ solid solutions by using results of our previous work on the system MgO–SiO₂. Achieving this requires a relation between phonon frequency and composition and a composition relation for the energy of the static lattice. Directed by experimental Raman spectroscopic data for specific optic modes in magnesium–iron solid solutions of olivine and pyroxene we use an empirical relation for the composition dependence for phonon frequencies. We show that lattice vibrations have a large effect on the excess entropy and that the static lattice contribution and lattice vibrations have a large impact on excess enthalpy and excess Gibbs energy. Our model indicates that compositional effects in electronic and magnetic properties are negligible. The compositional variation the Néel temperature has a large impact on excess heat capacity for temperatures below 100 K.     

Nitrogen in peridotite xenoliths: Lithophile behavior and magmatic isotope fractionation

In order to document the origin and speciation of nitrogen in mantle-derived rocks and minerals, the N and Ar contents and isotopic compositions were investigated for hydrous and anhydrous peridotite xenoliths from Ataq, Yemen, from Eifel, Germany, and from Massif Central, France. Nitrogen and Ar were extracted by stepwise combustion with a fine temperature resolution, followed by fusion in a platinum crucible. A large isotopic disequilibrium of up to 25.4‰ is observed within single peridotite xenoliths, with δ¹⁵N values as low as −17.3‰ in phlogopite whereas clinopyroxene and olivine show positive δ¹⁵N values. Identical Sr isotopic ratios of phlogopite, clinopyroxene and whole rock in this wehrlite sample are consistent with crystallization from a common reservoir, suggesting that the light N signature of phlogopite might be the result of isotopic fractionation during N uptake from the host magma. The nitrogen concentration is systematically high in phlogopite, (7.6-25.7 ppm), whereas that of bulk peridotite xenoliths is between 0.1 and 0.8 ppm. The high N content of phlogopite is at least partly due to host magma-mineral interaction, and may also suggest the occurrence of N as that substituted for K⁺ during mineral growth in mafic magmas. Such speciation is consistent with the fact that N and Rb contents correlate well for a set of samples from mantle regions that were affected by subduction-related metasomatism and magmatism. The N/Rb ratios of these samples are comparable with values estimated for subduction zone magmas, but are one order of magnitude lower than the N/Rb ratios characterizing subducting slabs. This difference suggests preferential release of N relative to alkalis in the forearc region. N/⁴⁰Ar^∗ ratios of minerals from analyzed mantle xenoliths are much higher than those of vesicles in MORBs and OIBs, requiring either the occurrence of nitrogen speciation in the mantle more compatible than Ar, significant loss of fluid phase during entrainment, or long residence time of volatile elements in the mantle source(s) of fluids to increase drastically the ⁴⁰Ar^∗ budget of the latter.     

A rapid method for converting medical Computed Tomography scanner topogram attenuation scale to Hounsfield Unit scale and to obtain relative density values

Medical Computed Tomography scanners permit to rapidly obtain qualitative and quantitative information on objects in a non-destructive manner in both longitudinal and transversal directions. CT-scan scales used to express attenuation on the images are different for longitudinal (topograms) and transversal (tomograms) views, restraining the complementary use of the information extracted from both views. Moreover, topograms are of full use in core analysis as they reveal fine-scale information on stratigraphical, sedimentological and physical properties of the material. This paper presents a method to convert CT-scan topogram intensity scale to Hounsfield Unit (HU; scale used on tomograms) and to later extract a relative density from it. The method is based on relationships between topogram and tomogram values, absolute density and effective atomic numbers obtained on a series of minerals. Results show excellent correlations between converted topogram values and HU values obtained on the tomograms, as well as between relative densities derived from the converted topogram values, and the absolute density of the minerals.     

Aluminum speciation, vibrational entropy and short-range order in calcium aluminosilicate glasses

The heat capacity and vibrational entropy of a calcium aluminate and three peraluminous calcium aluminosilicate glasses have been determined from 2 to 300 K by heat-pulse relaxation calorimetry. Together with previous adiabatic data for six other glasses in the system CaO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂, these results have been used to determine partial molar heat capacities and entropies for five species namely, SiO₂, CaO and three different sorts of Al₂O₃ in which Al is 4-, 5- and 6-fold coordinated by oxygen. Given the determining role of oxygen coordination on low-temperature heat capacity, the composition independent entropies found for SiO₂ and CaO indicate that short-range order around Si and Ca is not sensitive to aluminum speciation up to the highest fraction of 25% observed for ^VAl by NMR spectroscopy. Because of the higher room-temperature vibrational entropy of ^IVAl₂O₃ (72.8 J/mol K) compared to ^VAl₂O₃ (48.5 J/mol K), temperature-induced changes from ^IVAl to ^VAl give rise to a small negative contribution of the order of 1 J/mol K to the partial molar configurational heat capacity of Al₂O₃ in melts. Near 0 K, pure SiO₂ glass distinguishes itself by the importance of the calorimetric boson peak. On a g atom basis, the maximum of this peak varies with the composition of calcium aluminosilicate glasses by a factor of about 2. It does not show smooth variations, however, either as a function of SiO₂ content, at constant CaO/Al₂O₃ ratio, or as a function of Al₂O₃ content, at constant SiO₂ content.