Spatial and Temporal Reconstruction of Chernobyl (137)Cs Initial Fallout Field on Soil Within upper Lokna River Basin

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Radiochemistry
• Geospatial Analysis

Background:

• The Chernobyl disaster in 1986 resulted in widespread radioactive contamination.
• Cesium-137 ((137)Cs) is a significant long-lived radionuclide fallout product.
• Understanding initial fallout distribution is crucial for environmental monitoring and risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To reconstruct the initial soil contamination map of (137)Cs in the upper Lokna River basin.
• To provide a statistically sound description of the radionuclide fallout field.
• To correlate fallout patterns with geographical and historical data.

Main Methods:

• Site selection and detailed soil sampling scheme within a 35 km(2) catchment area.
• Analysis of radionuclide inventory in the upper 30 cm of soil profiles.
• Restoration of 1986 cesium contamination levels considering the (137)Cs half-life.
• Comparison with Hydromet aerial photography data from 1986.

Main Results:

• A schematic map of initial (137)Cs fallout was generated for the study area.
• Soil sampling characterized average radionuclide amounts in the topsoil.
• The reconstructed contamination map showed good correlation with 1986 aerial survey data.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully reconstructed the initial Chernobyl (137)Cs fallout distribution in the Lokna River basin.
• The methodology provides a reliable approach for assessing historical radionuclide contamination.
• The findings serve as a baseline for future environmental studies in the region.