From the editorial board

A. V. Vasilyev

CALCULATION OF THE MAXIMUM ACCUMULATION LEVELS AND BIOLOGIGAL TRANSFER OF 137CS IN THE BARENTS SEA FISH FOR SCENARIO OF THE HYPOTHETICAL ACCIDENT WITH THE SUNKEN NUCLEAR SUBMARINE “K-159”

A. I. Kryshev, T. G. Sazykina

The maximum levels and dynamics of 137Cs contamination of a commercial benthic fish species (haddock, Melanogrammus aeglefinus) were assessed for the scenario of a hypothetical accident with the sunken nuclear submarine K-159 in the Barents Sea.
Contamination of bottom sediments near the accident site was calculated. Dynamic model of 137Cs accumulation in haddock in the Barents Sea was developed, taking into account its seasonal migrations. Contamination of bottom sediments with 137Cs can persist for a long time after the accident, leading to intake of the radionuclide into the commercial fish species through the benthic food chain “bottom sediments – benthic fauna – benthic fish”. For the considered accidental scenario, the levels of 137Cs in haddock, which exceed the sanitary and hygienic standard of 130 Bq/kg, are estimated if the fish spent from 1 day to 3 months near the contaminated area (up to 200 m from the accident site). Due to seasonal migrations of haddock, fish could be caught in different parts of the Barents Sea, including those located at a considerable distance from the contaminated area. The calculated activity concentration of 137Cs in haddock after its short-term stay at a distance of 2 km from the accident site does not exceed 10 Bq/kg. During the first year after the accident, the calculated maximum dose from the consumption of one caught haddock weighing 2 kg, which spent 1 week near the highly contaminated spot, was estimated to be 0,03 mSv, 2 weeks – 0,06 mSv, 1 month – 0,12 mSv, 2 months – 0,23 mSv, 3 months – 0,35 mSv, which is below the annual dose quota for the population. The model results show the need to evaluate the biological transfer of 137Cs by migratory commercial fish species of the Arctic seas in case of detection or prognosis of high levels of radioactive contamination in bottom sediments.

EXPERIENCE OF USING NON-INVASIVE SENSORY SUBSTITUTION IN LOCALIZATION OF OBJECTS IN SPACE

A. S. Butorova, A. P. Sergeev

Devices based on the principle of sensory substitution may offer alternative vision for people with visual impairments. Sensory substitution devices are able to perform an important task related to the self-navigation of visually impaired people. This task is largely
accomplished through depth perception. Depth perception is the ability of a person to perceive the world in three dimensions, estimating the distance to objects. The present study is devoted to the study of depth perception using the sensory substitution device The vOICe
in sighted subjects. As a pilot stage, one blind subject was involved in the experiment. The sighted subjects were divided into two groups: the first group used linear perspective as an additional depth signal, the second group did not use linear perspective as an additional
depth signal; the blind subject did not use linear perspective as an additional depth signal. During pre- and post-test evaluation sessions, subjects had to localize a 4 x 4 x 4 cm3 white plastic cube using The vOICe and replace it with an equivalent cube. The training phase
consisted of three sessions during which subjects practiced in localizing and capturing a cube using The vOICe. All experimental groups demonstrated a decrease in the absolute deviation in the post-test experimental session, which indicates an increase in the accuracy
of the cube localization. In each of the two groups of sighted subjects, there was a statistically significant reduction in the absolute deviation for both evaluation and training sessions. The blind subject, on average, showed a greater tendency to improve localization
accuracy than the sighted subjects.

BIOSPHERE COMPATIBILITY OF FAST REACTORS WITH A CLOSED NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE

N. V. Gorin, V. P. Kuchinov, V. M. Dekusar, V. V. Shidlovsky

Any human activity has a negative impact on the environment, the greatest contribution to which is made by energy production. The main challenges of our time that threaten sustainable development ‒ global warming, the greenhouse effect arise from emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and general environmental pollution. It is shown that the main modern environmental pollutants ‒ objects of hydrocarbon energy, industry and transport do not satisfy biosphere compatibility and threaten the sustainable development of mankind. Sustainable development requires environmentally friendly energy in the amount of at least ten billion tons per year (>3-5·1020 J/year). Renewable energy sources (solar, wind, etc.) will not cope with this task, since they have a low energy flow density. We need a new technology that produces several orders of magnitude more energy and less waste per unit mass of raw materials. It is shown that nuclear power engineering with fast neutron reactors and closed NFC is a technology with better biosphere compatibility compared to other renewable energy sources.

ANALYTICAL COMPARISON OF METHODS FOR CALCULATING THE EXCESS PRESSURE OF AN EXPLOSION BLEVE

N. N. Starovoitova

The article deals with such a dangerous phenomenon as the explosion of expanding vapors of boiling liquid (BLEVE). Among the most devastating accidents that can occur in the chemical industry, BLEVE stands out. It is accompanied by sufficient explosive waves and excessive pressure. The article describes this phenomenon and analyzes the methods of calculating the excess pressure of the BLEVE explosion. The main attention is drawn to the difference between the methods used in the Russian Federation and in France. The main part of the article describes the phenomenon of BLEVE. The reasons for its manifestation and the formulas used in the methods are described. The article, based on the analysis of: Baker method, Push method, Planes-Cuchi method and MOE methodology, shows the difference in the approach of determining excess pressure. In conclusion, significant discrepancies in the results due to thermodynamic assumptions are briefly analyzed – these are the behavior of an ideal gas and the isentropic expansion of steam.

EXPERIENCE OF INDEPENDENT RADIATION CONTROL IN PUBLICLY ACCESIBLE SITES OF THE «FSUE MAYAK PA» MONITORING AREA

V.S. Nosovets, A.R. Zigangirov, E.S. Makeeva, A.A. Ekidin

This paper presents the results of a public initiative implementation aimed at forming an independent source of information about the radiation situation in FSUE “PO “Mayak” publicly accessible observation zone places. This initiative is being held for the second year.
FSUE PO Mayak was chosen because it is the largest enterprise in the country for the management of radioactive and nuclear materials. The ambient dose equivalent power is in the range of 0.05–0.12 mSv/h in the examined areas. The technogenic radionuclide 137Cs
has been reliably identified only at sites that were contaminated in 1957 and 1967. Specific activity of 137Cs that is in the soil of previously contaminated sites does not exceed 120 Bq/kg. The content of natural radionuclides ranges from 5 to 18 Bq/kg (for 226Ra), from 5 to 40 Bq/kg (for 232Th) and from 28 to 595 Bq/kg (40K) in the surveyed sites soils.

ANALYSIS OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE LEGISLATION ON THE MAINTENANCE OF HOUSEHOLD TERRITORIES BY MANAGING ORGANIZATIONS IN RUSSIAN CITIES

E. I. Pochatkova, A. A. Seleznev

The paper represents the results of the analysis of compliance with the legislation on the maintenance of adjacent territories by housing authorities (hereinafter – HAs) in the administrative centres of the federal districts of Russia. Based on the analysis of the federal
legislation of the Russian Federation in the field of improvement and maintenance of adjacent territories the list of works to be performed by the HA is compiled. On the basis of data from Internet resources 14615 HAs were found, 150 of which were included in the
sample for analysis. Using the method of content analysis, specific types of work on the improvement and maintenance of adjacent territories from the federal legislation were identified in the regulations of the HA. The large informational closedness of the HAs was
noted, more than half of them violate the existing regulations governing the procedure and terms of disclosure of data on their activities. On the basis of the analysis, the cities have been ranked according to the representation of services for the maintenance of adjacent territories in the regulations of their HA as required by federal legislation. The disproportion in information disclosure between federal cities and other centres of the federal districts is observed. The authors have identified the most common categories of services in the
regulations of HAs, including those works that are more likely to result in negative sanctions from the regulatory authorities for non-compliance.