January 2016 InFORMal Monitoring Update
Category Archives: Monitoring
December 2015 InFORMal Monitoring Update
KelpWatch 2015 Monitoring: No Fukushima derived contamination May – June ’15
By Jay T. Cullen
The purpose of this diary is to report the most recent results of Kelp Watch 2015, a program dedicated to monitoring for Fukushima derived contamination along the Pacific Coast of North America. New results from the fourth sampling period (May 4 through June 10 2015) were released on Dec. 8, 2015 and can be found here. As with previously reported results here, here, here and here no radioactive isotopes from Fukushima were detected in kelp growing at sampling sites along our Pacific coast. The absence of 134Cs in kelp suggests that ocean transport of Fukushima contamination had yet to reach persistently high enough levels in North American coastal water to bioaccumulate in kelp. The scientific community expects that levels of contamination rise in coastal waters as predicted by measurements and models in the coming year Kelp Watch 2015 will help to track the arrival of the plume in time and space. Continue reading KelpWatch 2015 Monitoring: No Fukushima derived contamination May – June ’15
Update: Tracking the arrival of Fukushima derived contamination in the Pacific off North America
By Jay T. Cullen
Previously unpublished data results from research expeditions in 2014 and 2015 are summarized here. Overall the data indicate that:
- Fukushima derived radiocesium was first detected 1500 km west of British Columbia Canada in June 2012
- Contamination was detected on the continental shelf (near coastal waters) in June 2013
- By February 2014 Fukushima radiocesium was present at levels similar to preexisting weapons testing derived 137Cs
- The timing of the arrival and levels of radiocesium in the contaminated plume are in reasonable agreement with existing ocean circulation model predictions
- 134Cs, a unique indicator of Fukushima impact given its ~ 2 year half life, increased in 2014 and 2015 relative to previous years indicating that peak concentrations are likely to arrive in 2016
- Maximum combined radiocesium activities (137Cs + 134Cs) offshore as of summer 2015 are 11 Bq m-3 of seawater are about 8-10 fold less than maximum activities measured in the 1960’s due to weapons testing fallout. Current levels do not represent a significant risk to ecosystem or public health
Summer 2014 Offshore Monitoring for Fukushima Contamination
By Jonathan Kellogg and Jay T. Cullen
Distribution of 134-Cs in Aug 2014
Distribution of 137-Cs in Aug 2014
CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier at dock CCG base Victoria, BC.
Results from surface water samples collected in August 2014 during three oceanic research cruises are now available. These seawater samples were analyzed to characterize the distribution of Fukushima derived radionuclides 137-Cesium (137Cs half life ~30 years), and 134-Cesium (134Cs half life ~2 years). Based on the distribution of 134Cs, the Fukushima plume was not consistently present yet on the BC coast. It is likely that peak concentrations of radiocesium will be present offshore in the next year.
Continue reading Summer 2014 Offshore Monitoring for Fukushima Contamination
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