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Behaviour and Effects of Natural and Anthropogenic Radionuclides in the Marine Environment and their use as Tracers for Oceanography Studies
Closed for proposals
Project Type
Project Code
K41017CRP
2135Approved Date
Start Date
Expected End Date
Participating Countries
Description
New proposed title: Behaviour and effects of natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in the marine environment and their use as tracers for oceanography studies (possible acronym NAROC) The marine environment is a major recipient of anthropogenic radionuclides released by both atmospheric and aquatic pathways. In addition, it is subject, in certain areas, to enhanced levels of natural radionuclides as a result of human activities. Due to changing inputs and practices, and to transport and transfer processes within the marine environment, levels of anthropogenic and natural radionuclides can vary significantly, both spatially and with time. These changes are important for MSs which rely on marine resources, as they can have economic, social, and human and environmental health impacts. The existing knowledge of marine radioactivity varies significantly between different marine areas: obtaining a comprehensive and reliable baseline, to which future changes can be compared, requires careful validation of data and a rigorous advanced mathematical approach to data processing. Further modelling of radionuclide specific measurements of concentrations in seawater, suspended and bottom sediment and marine biota provides unique insight into physical, chemical and biological oceanographic processes. This CRP aims to provide MSs with a methodology to assess levels, trends and effects of radionuclides in the marine environment and with new information on oceanographic processes in coastal and open-sea areas obtained from radiotracer applications. An additional valuable outcome will be on-line access of Member States to validated up-to-date marine radioactivity data and information through IAEA’s MARiS database. The coordination of the research undertaken by the participating institutes will ensure that the results are based on a broad scientific participation under the common umbrella of critically reviewed, up-to-date and harmonised methodologies.
Objectives
To develop and apply methods combining advanced and rigorous data treatment and modelling approaches for determination of spatial and temporal patterns, behaviour and effects of radionuclides in the marine environment in order to provide Member States with methodological guidance, data and information on levels, trends, effects of radionuclides and their applications to oceanographic process studies.
Specific objectives
To compile a comprehensive dataset of radionuclide levels in seawater, sediment and biota from the global marine environment, with particular focus on the past decade, to be used, in complement of the data already existing in the MARiS database, as a basis of the assessment.
To use the available data to obtain insight into oceanographic processes..
To apply the agreed methodology to the available data to provide a description and interpretation of the broad spatiotemporal distributions – levels and trends – of key radionuclides in the global marine environment, with reference to sources and oceanographic and physical processes.
To develop a methodology combining numerical data treatment and modelling for evaluating and comparing the behaviour and effects of natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in the marine environment to be adopted for the CRP studies.