Measurements and modelling of 137Cs migration into various types of soil

The behaviour and migration of long-lived radioisotopes is an important part of information in the prediction of the consequences of radioactive contamination in agricultural areas. Therefore, the investigation of radiocaesium migration in soil is a focus of several research all over the world. The level of soil contamination in Central and Eastern Europe after the nuclear accident at Chernobyl has been high enough to study the vertical migration of radiocaesium under natural conditions. In Hungary 137Cs measurements has e been carried out regularly since the Chernobyl accident at several location to determine the long-term migration of radiocaesium in soil system. In the project presented here, the distribution of 137Cs activity concentration has been measured and analyzed over the period of 1987-1996 On the experimental data collected during these ten years a model has been developed which can be used for long-term prediction of radioisotope penetration. (author)