Atmospheric dispersion modeling of radioactive effluents

In case of a nuclear accident, which could lead to release of radioactive contaminants, fastest countermeasures are needed, relating to sheltering, iodine distribution, evacuation and interdiction of food and water consumption. All these decisions should be based either on estimation of inhaled dose and the dose due to external exposure for public or on the estimation of radioactive concentration in food (which will depend on the radioactive concentration in air and ground deposition). In order to perform any of these calculations of consequences in case of nuclear accident, which leads to release of radioactive contaminants in the atmosphere, we must start with atmospheric dispersion calculations. In the last few years, considerable efforts have been devoted in order to improve computer codes for dispersion in the atmosphere of the radioactive contaminants released in a nuclear accident. The paper presents the model used in computer codes for assessment of nuclear accident consequences and a special attention was paid to the dispersion model used in the Institute for Nuclear Research Pitesti. The values for the used parameters and the results for air and ground concentration are also presented. (authors)