Experimental modeling of radioactive particle resuspension

Abstract

Freshly fallen radionuclide material deposited after an energetic release from a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) or by a nuclear accident can be resuspended back into the air by the wind. Resuspension of radionuclide materials was investigated in a specially built wind tunnel. Resuspension factors at locations 52.5 cm and 165 cm downstream from the initial fallout were calculated to be 6.53E-04 ± 11.5% (1/m) and 1.51E-04 ± 15.62% (1/m) respectively. Experimental values of resuspension factors can vary by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude. However resuspension factors found from this experiment were only 51% higher and 65% less compared to values found using a modified Garland relationship.