Image via WikipediaA March 29, 2011 press release prepared by the Department of Foreign Affairs
The Philippine Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Vienna reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that in a briefing for the diplomatic missions in Vienna on March 28, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) stated that the transboundary movement of the radioactive particles detected by its monitoring stations nearest the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility and later at other stations were at levels far below deemed to be dangerous to human health, especially at the farthest distances.
In the briefing, the CTBTO showed a demonstration of the detection of radioactive isotopes by its monitoring stations worldwide.
Based on the CTBTO’s Atmospheric Transport Model, following the nuclear incident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility, the stations had initially detected gaseous isotopes and one non-gaseous isotope (Technetium-132).
Additional non-gaseous isotopes were detected beginning March 17 at the station nearest the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility—RN 38 at Takasaki, Japan—and later at other stations. Subsequently, however, the ratio between gaseous and non-gaseous isotopes has remained stable.
The CTBTO said that all detections are in line with recent reactor-related activities rather than emissions from the spent fuel pools at the facility.
Based on the data tracked, the radionuclide particles are moving towards the northwest from the central point which is the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility.
Tracking of the radionuclide particulates (from March17 to 22) showed their movement to the territories of Russia, USA, Canada and Iceland.
However, while the data confirmed the trans-boundary movement of the particles, the CTBTO confirmed them to be at levels far below that deemed to be dangerous to human health, especially at the farther distances.
The CTBTO’s International Monitoring Stations network has the technical capacity to detect and monitor radionuclide particles and noble gas based on global standard measurements.
Since these facilities are not owned by any specific country, the data and related products are available to all States Signatories.
The CTBTO, along with the International Atomic Energy Agency, World Meteorological Organization, UN Development Programme, World health Organization and UN Office for Disarmament Affairs also held a videoconference on March 25 with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to discuss ways to further enhance cooperation among the international organizations, particularly on the issue of an international emergency response framework for nuclear accidents.
No comments:
Post a Comment