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Books > Earth & environment > The environment > Nuclear issues
Biophysics is the science of physical principles underlying the "phenomenon of life" on all levels of organization. This book begins by explaining molecular and ionic interactions, movements, excitation and energy transfer, and the self-organization of supramolecular structures. Then the biological organism is introduced as a non-equilibrium system. Finally, system analyses are discussed as well as environmental biophysics, ecological interactions, growth, differentiation, and evolution. A growing number of applications in biotechnology are based on these biophysical concepts.
Photochemical reactions play a major role in the environment including a wide range of reactions in the atmosphere, natural waters, soil and living organisms. This new volume on Environmental Photochemistry up-dates the previous edition with chapters on basic aspects including concepts of photochemical transformations and mechanistic photochemical processes in the atmosphere and water. In addition a range of applications are also detailed such as advanced photochemical oxidation processes for water and air treatment as well as applications of photocatalysis for surface treatment and nuclear fuel reprocessing. The new edition provides a critical up to date overview of the most important research in the field of environmental photochemistry.
A major part of this book is based on work performed by several of the national organizations that are responsible for disposal of radioactive waste from nuclear reactors, with the Author involved in the research as well in the reporting. He is greatly indebted to the organizations and to their representatives that were engaged in the projects, and to the European Commission, represented by Mr Christophe Davies, that supported the work ?nancially and otherwise. Mr Davies' services are gratefully acknowledged. The author also expresses his thanks to the following p- sons who assisted in various ways in the preparation of the book: Christer S- mar, Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co (SKB), Sweden; Wolf S- dler, Agence National pour la gestion des Dechets Radioactifs (ANDRA), France; Jan Verstricht, Studiecentrum voor Kernenergie-Centre d'Etude de l'ener gie Nuc- are (SCK-CEN), Belgium; and Tilmann Rothfuchs, Gesellschaft fur ] Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit GmbH (GRS), Germany. Lund, January 2008 Roland Pusch v Acknowledgment The author expresses his thanks to the following persons who assisted in va- ous ways in the preparation of the book: Christer Svemar, Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co (SKB), Sweden; Wolf Seidler, Agence National pour la gestion des Dechets Radioactifs (ANDRA), France, and Tilmann Rothfuchs, Gesellschaft fur ] Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit GmbH (GRS), Germany. vii Contents Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 National and International Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Basic Principle of Final Storage of Hazardous Waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 TheCROPProject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Crystalline Rock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 SaltRock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Argillaceous Rock and Clastic Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ."
The goal of this book is to examine the complex state of radioactivity in the environment, and to understand the interplay of its two principal sources: man-made and natural. The text examines human contributions to release of radionuclides, with an eye to future reductions, and assesses natural occurrences in an evaluation of baseline radioactivity.
As a result of arms control efforts over the past 50 years, nuclear material is subject to strict national controls and tough international treaties. But there are still almost no controls, other than a voluntary International Atomic Energy Agency code of conduct, on the sorts of radiological sources used to make radiological dirty bombs. Radiological sources are used all over the world for a wide range of peaceful purposes, including smoke detectors, medical devices, meteorology, mining and thermoelectric generators. There are at least eight million identified radiological sources worldwide. Their small size, portability and high value make them vulnerable to misuse and theft: the IAEA reported 272 cases of illicit trafficking in sealed radioactive sources between 1993 and 2002. The IAEA estimates that 110 countries worldwide still fail to impose adequate controls. The time is ripe for an international convention and treaty on the safety and security of radiological sources. This book covers expert discussions designed to enhance cooperation and assistance between NATO and Partner countries in support of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) efforts to secure radioactive sources against the threat of terrorism and also to support the security agenda at the International Radiation Protection Association Congress in Buenos Aires in 2008.
The study of nuclear weapons is dominated by a single theory - that of the nuclear revolution, or mutual assured destruction (MAD). Although such theorists largely perceive nuclear competition as irrational and destined for eventual stalemate, the nuclear arms race between superpowers during the second half of the Cold War is a glaring anomaly that flies in the face of this logic. In this detailed historical account, Brendan Green presents an alternate theoretical explanation for how the United States navigated nuclear stalemate during the Cold War. Motivated by the theoretical and empirical puzzles of the Cold War arms race, Green explores the technological, perceptual, and 'constitutional fitness' incentives that were the driving forces behind US nuclear competition. Green hypothesizes that states can gain peacetime benefits from effective nuclear competition, reducing the risk of crises, bolstering alliance cohesion, and more. He concludes that the lessons of the Cold War arms race remain relevant today: they will influence the coming era of great power competition and could potentially lead to an upsurge in future US government nuclear competition.
Nuclear and radioactive agents are considerable concerns especially after the early 1990s and more attention has been focused on the radiation detection technologies. This book comprises the selected presentations of NATO Advanced Training Course held 26-30 May 2008 in Mugla, Turkey. The contributions represent a wide range of documents related to control, monitoring and measurement methods of nuclear / radioactive isotopes and agents for both fundamental and applied works dealing with their use for different purposes. This book presents environmental data from many locations of different countries and also contains the contributions in the detection/monitoring programs of some authors from CIS countries. The basic goal of this book is to deal with recent developments and applications of environmental monitoring and measurement techniques of environmental radionuclides and nuclear agents as well as the auxiliary techniques. The many recent examples contributed by authors will be useful in monitoring/ measurement studies of radioactive/nuclear agents in the present environment, and can help, not only in carrying out outdoor and laboratory experiments, but also in protection of possible sources of radionuclides and nuclear agents. Especially the contributions of experts and specialists involved in this book assured the highest level of knowledge in the field of techniques for the detection of radioactive and nuclear agents.
The diversion to military programmes of materials and technologies obtained from foreign suppliers for peaceful purposes has played a prominent role in the known cases of nuclear proliferation. The need to strengthen nuclear export controls has been identified by the G8 group of industrialized states and the European Union. This study examines the structure and activities of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), a group of 45 states committed to applying effective controls on exports of an agreed set of items as part of a wider effort to prevent nuclear proliferation.
In 1957 one of the two reactors built at Windscale, in Cumbria, to produce plutonium for bombs, was destroyed by fire in the world's first major nuclear accident. This text tells of the men who designed, built & operated the reactors. It also describes the fire & what followed, & considers its causes, effects & political importance.
This book contains papers from a NATO-sponsored workshop in Almaty in September 2005, which discussed safety-related issues of storing spent nuclear fuel. Fifteen papers cover aluminum-clad fuel discharged from research reactors worldwide, while five papers examine stainless steel-clad fuel from fast reactors, and two Zircaloy-clad fuel from commercial light-water reactors.
The Book represents a collection of papers prepared for and presented by specialists of seven concerned countries in the fourth Advanced Research Workshop (ARW), Moscow, September 22-24, 2004, sponsored and organized within the framework of the NATO-Russia partnership.Similar to the three previous publications, which collected the materials of the NATO-Russia ARWs held in Moscow in 1995, 1997 and 2002, the fourth book of the same series also addresses a very important challenge of the present - complex decommissioning of the taken-out-of-service nuclear-powered vessels and environmental rehabilitation of the centers of basing and everyday running of different-type nuclear vessels. The fourth book especially focuses on the scientific and technical problems of management of naval spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste.
With the nuclear issue back on the agenda worldwide, this highly topical collection steers a path through the controversies, presenting the views of proponents of nuclear expansion, examining the challenges that face them and exploring the arguments of those who support alternative approaches.
The workshop attracted wide participation from relevant Russian and western organizations. International expertise from several related fields went together to produce a thorough understanding of the present status and how to develop the use of overall risk assessments and environmental impact assessments to ensure a sound use of resources when carrying out the tremendous work that must be carried out to clean up the cold war legacy. Important conclusions and recommendations have been produced and set out in the main report, providing a good basis for further development. Such development should note that safety and environmental performance can be addressed at three levels:
The aim is to progress from a) to b) and eventually reach c). The levels refer both to operatorsa (TM) performance and regulatorsa (TM) and other stakeholdersa (TM) expectations. Fundamentally, compliance cannot be achieved without the application of environmental impact assessment and risk assessment a" to judge whether protection objectives have been met. Major progress has been made towards developing common methodologies, although there are still improvements to be made, including a common understanding of objectives and interpretation of results. In addition, improved assessment capabilities are required to help distinguish multiply characterised options within a process of options assessment. In turn, this has to rely on broader holistic understanding of the issues as well as wide stakeholder involvement. From the viewpoint of the proponents ofany new development, the preparation of an environmental statement in parallel with project design provides a useful framework within which environmental considerations and design development can interact. Environmental analysis may indicate ways in which the project can be modified to avoid possible adverse effects, for example through considering more environmentally friendly alternatives. Taking these steps is likely to make the formal regulatory and planning approval stages run more smoothly.
The question of what to do with radioactive waste has dogged political administrations of nuclear-powered electricity-producing nations since the inception of the technology in the 1950s. As the issue rises to the forefront of current energy and environmental policy debates, a critical policy analysis of radioactive waste management in the UK provides important insights for the future. Nuclear Waste Politics sets out a detailed historical and social scientific analysis of radioactive waste management and disposal in the UK from the 1950s up to the present day; drawing international comparisons with Sweden, Finland, Canada and the US. A theoretical framework is presented for analysing nuclear politics: blending literatures on technology policy, environmental ethics and the geography and politics of scale. The book proffers a new theory of "ethical incrementalism" and practical policy suggestions to facilitate a fair and efficient siting process for radioactive waste management facilities. The book argues that a move away from centralised, high capital investment national siting towards a regional approach using deep borehole disposal, could resolve many of the problems that the high stakes, inflexible "megaproject" approach has caused across the world. This book is an important resource for academics and researchers in the areas of environmental management, energy policy, and science and technology studies.
Based on frequent, first-hand reporting in Iran and the United States, The Iran Agenda Today explores the turbulent recent history between the two countries and reveals how it has led to a misguided showdown over nuclear technology. Foreign correspondent Reese Erlich notes that all the major U.S. intelligence agencies agree Iran has not had a nuclear weapons program since at least 2003. He explores why Washington nonetheless continues with saber rattling and provides a detailed critique of mainstream media coverage of Iran. The book further details the popular protests that have rocked Tehran despite repression by the country's Deep State. In addition to covering the political story, Erlich offers insights on Iran's domestic politics, popular culture, and diverse populations over this recent era. His analysis draws on past interviews with high-ranking Iranian officials, the former shah's son, Reza Pahlavi, and Iranian exiles in Los Angeles, as well as the memory of his trip to Tehran with actor Sean Penn. Written in skillful and riveting journalistic prose, The Iran Agenda Today provides inside information that academic researchers find hard to obtain.
The 17 chapters of this book grew out of the tutorial lectures given by leading world-class experts at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop "Effects of Space Weather on Technology Infrastructure" - ESPRIT, which was held in Rhodes on March 25-29, 2004. All manuscripts were refereed and subsequently meticulously edited by the editor to ensure the highest quality for this monograph. I owe particular thanks to the lecturers of the ESPRIT Advanced Research Workshop for producing these excellent tutorial reviews, which convey the essential knowledge and the latest advances in our field. Due to the breadth, extensive literature citations and quality of the reviews we expect this publication to serve extremely well as a reference book. Multimedia material referring to individual chapters of the book is accessible on the accompanying CD. The aim of ESPRIT was to assess existing knowledge and identify future actions regarding monitoring, forecasting and mitigation of space weather induced malfunction and damage of vital technological systems operating in space and on the ground.
NATO Advanced Research Workshop "Environmental Protection Against Radioactive Pollution" was held in Almaty on September 16-19, 2002. Experts from Azerbaijan, Denmark, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Norway, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, USA, Uzbekistan and the IAEA have participated and made presentations. The Workshop was organized parallel to the "2nd Eurasia Conference on Nuclear Science and its Application" held in Almaty on September 16-19, 2002 that was organized by Institute of Nuclear Physics of Kazakhstan with Turkish Atomic Energy Authority and National Academy of Science of Azerbaijan, National Academy of Science of Kyrgyzstan, Institute of Nuclear Physics of Uzbekistan. So, the number of participants for the Workshop was rather high. The NATO Advanced Research Workshop generated important interactions and provided a mechanism for scientists of different nations and of varied disciplines to discuss challenges that confront many countries around the world. The reports presented at the Workshop were published in this NATO Science Series. The main directions of the presented reports were as follows; General estimation of the radioactive contamination of the territories and radiation hazardous objects, including former military test sites, areas influenced due to Chernobly and Mayak accidents, and territories of oil fields; Techniques and procedures of radioecological monitoring; Techniques of determination of radionuclide concentrations and its species in the environment.
The 15th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster
offered a timely opportunity for an expert assessment of the
current situation and suggestions for approaches to managing the
information associated with the site and surrounding contaminated
territories.
This volume presents summaries of recent research results on the related subjects of source processes and explosion yield estimation, which are important elements of any treaty verification system. The term Source Processes, in the context of nuclear test monitoring, refers to a wide range of research topics. In a narrow definition, it describes the complex physical phenomena that are directly associated with a nuclear explosion, and the catastrophic deformation and transformation of the material surrounding the explosion. In a broader sense, it includes a host of topics related to the inference of explosion phenomena from seismic and other signals. A further widening of the definition includes the study and characterization of source processes of events other than nuclear, such as earthquakes and, in particular, mining explosions. This latter research is especially important relative to the question of identifying and discriminating nuclear explosions from other seismic events. Explosion Yield Estimation deals with the corresponding inverse problem of inferring explosion source characteristics through analyses of the various types of seismic signals produced by the explosion. This is a complex technical task which has been the focus of some of the most contentious treaty monitoring debates. The current compilation of eight articles on Source Processes and six articles on Explosion Yield Estimation gives a good representation of state-of-the-art research currently being conducted in the broad area of seismic source characterization in the context of nuclear test monitoring.
The massive movement against nuclear weapons began with the invention of the atomic bomb in 1945 and lasted throughout the Cold War. Antinuclear protesters of all sorts mobilized in defiance of the move toward nuclear defense in the wake of the Cold War. They influenced U.S. politics, resisting the mindset of nuclear deterrence and mutually-assured destruction. The movement challenged Cold War militarism and restrained leaders who wanted to rely almost exclusively on nuclear weapons for national security. Ultimately, a huge array of activists decided that nuclear weapons made the country less secure, and that, through testing and radioactive fallout, they harmed the very people they were supposed to protect. Rethinking the American Antinuclear Movement provides a short, accessible overview of this important social and political movement, highlighting key events and figures, the strengths and weaknesses of the activists, and its lasting effects on the country. It is perfect for anyone wanting to obtain an introduction to the American antinuclear movement and the massive reach of this transnational concern.
The massive movement against nuclear weapons began with the invention of the atomic bomb in 1945 and lasted throughout the Cold War. Antinuclear protesters of all sorts mobilized in defiance of the move toward nuclear defense in the wake of the Cold War. They influenced U.S. politics, resisting the mindset of nuclear deterrence and mutually-assured destruction. The movement challenged Cold War militarism and restrained leaders who wanted to rely almost exclusively on nuclear weapons for national security. Ultimately, a huge array of activists decided that nuclear weapons made the country less secure, and that, through testing and radioactive fallout, they harmed the very people they were supposed to protect. Rethinking the American Antinuclear Movement provides a short, accessible overview of this important social and political movement, highlighting key events and figures, the strengths and weaknesses of the activists, and its lasting effects on the country. It is perfect for anyone wanting to obtain an introduction to the American antinuclear movement and the massive reach of this transnational concern.
In September 1996, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), prohibiting nuclear explosions worldwide, in all environments. The treaty calls for a global verification system, including a network of 321 monitoring stations distributed around the globe, a data communications network, an international data centre (IDC), and on-site inspections, to verify compliance. A global hydroacoustic monitoring system is being planned and implemented for verification of the CTBT. Much of the research conducted over the past several decades on acoustic surveillance of the oceans, formerly driven by the need to detect and track submarines, is now being applied to the development of effective monitoring methods to verify compliance with the CTBT. The aim of this volume on Hydroacoustic Monitoring of the CTBT is to summarize the research being conducted in this field and to provide basic references for future research. Much of the new research emphasizes major advances in understanding the coupling of ocean acoustic waves with elastic waves in the solid Earth. Topics covered include source excitation, detection and classification of events generating hydroacoustic signals, discrimination between underwater explosions and naturally occurring events, as well as topics in coupling of acoustic to seismic wavefields.
In September 1996, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), prohibiting nuclear explosions worldwide, in all environments. The treaty calls for a global verification system, including a network of 321 monitoring stations distributed around the globe, a data communications network, an international data centre (IDC), and on-site inspections, to verify compliance. This volume contains research papers focusing on seismic ecent location in the CTBT context. The on-site inspection protocol of the treaty specifies a search area not to exceed 1000 square km. Much of the current research effort is therefore directed towards refining the accuracy of event location by including allowances for three-dimensional structure within the Earth. The aim is that the true location of each event will lie within the specified source zone regarding postulated location. The papers in this volume cover many aspects of seismic event location, including the development of algorithms suitable for use with three-dimensional models, allowances for regional structure, use of calibration events and source-specific station corrections. They provide a broad overview of the current international effort to improve seismic event location accuracy, and the editors hope that it will stimulate increased interest and further advances in this important field.
It is only with the ending of the Cold War that the issue of environmental hazards at many former nuclear testing sites around the world has attracted international scientific interest. This book discusses the environmental, ecological, and health problems associated with nuclear testing. Topics treated include dose assessment, risk, speciation and transport of radionuclides, measurement and separation of radionuclides, and remedial options. The nuclear test sites examined include the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (Kazakhstan), the Nevada test Site (USA), the Pacific atolls, and the Maralinga Test Site (Australia). The volume also discusses the additional release sites of Chelyabinsk (Russia), Chernobyl (Ukraine), Palomares (Spain), Los Alamos (USA), and others. A valuable compendium of radiological problems for a wide spectrum of readers, from non-specialist to expert.
World-renowned political thinkers and scientists write on nuclear weapons and war in the twenty-first century. The contributors include Mikhail Gorbachev, who first declared 'A nuclear war cannot be won and must not be fought', Robert McNamara, US Defense Secretary at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis and Vietnam War; and Nobel Peace Laureate Joseph Rotblat, the only scientist to resign from the Manhattan Project, where the world's first nuclear weapons were produced. |
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