11:00 AM - 11:15 AM
[2M06] Investigation on distribution of radioactive substances in Fukushima
(12)Evaluating the radiocesium fallout in Fukushima's contaminated forests
Keywords:radiocesium, forest, fallout, Fukushima
A catastrophic earthquake and tsunami occurred on March 11, 2011, which caused massive destruction over a wide area in northeastern Japan and damaged the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) resulting in the accidental dispersal of radionuclides. The subsequent fallout radiation caused widespread contamination across Fukushima Prefecture and heavily contaminated forested areas in this region. While the fallout depositions from principle radionuclides including radiocesium are relatively understood, the initial extent of the radiocesium contamination in forested areas across all of Fukushima Prefecture and transport of radiocesium to various media are less clear. Evaluating the large portion of radiocesium deposited in forested areas across the prefecture and understanding the behavior of the concentrations in various terrestrial media can provide more insight on such topics.