The RODOS system: decision support for off-site emergency management in Europe

The integrated and comprehensive Real-time On-line DecisiOn Support system, RODOS, for off-site emergency management of nuclear accidents is being developed with support of the European Commission and the German Ministry of Environment. Designed as a generic tool, the RODOS system will be applicable from the very early stages of an accident up to many years after the release and from the vicinity of a site to far distant areas. Decision support will be provided at various levels, ranging from the largely descriptive with information of the present and future radiological situation, to an evaluation of the benefits and disadvantages of different countermeasures' options. A large number of West and East European institutes are involved in its development to operational use. This paper gives an overview of the structure, the content, the main functions and the development status of the RODOS system and discusses its potential role for improving emergency response in Europe. (orig.)