Initial effect of the Fukushima accident on atmospheric electricity (original) (raw)
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Abstract
Vertical atmospheric DC electric field at ground level, or potential gradient (PG), suddenly dropped by one order of magnitude at Kakioka, 150 km southwest from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant (FNPP) right after the plant released a massive amount of radioactive material southward on 14 March, 2011. The PG stayed at this level for days with very small daily variations. Such a long-lasting near-steady low PG has never been observed at Kakioka. The sudden drop of PG with one-hour time scale is similar to those associated with rain-induced radioactive fallout after nuclear tests and the Chernobyl disaster. A comparison with the PG data with the radiation dose rate data at different places revealed that arrival of the radioactive dust by low-altitude wind caused the PG drop without rain. Furthermore, the PG might have reflected a minor release several hours before this release at the distance of 150 km. It is recommended that all nuclear power plant to have a network of PG observation surrounding the plant.
Publication:
Geophysical Research Letters
Pub Date:
August 2011
DOI:
Bibcode:
Keywords:
- Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Ion chemistry of the atmosphere (2419;
- 2427);
- Atmospheric Processes: Atmospheric electricity;
- Natural Hazards: Atmospheric (0370;
- 3322;
- 3339);
- Natural Hazards: Methods (0500;
- 3200;
- 4400);
- Natural Hazards: Health impact