Simulation of atmospheric radiocesium (¹³⁷Cs) from Fukushima nuclear accident using FLEXPART-WRF driven by ERA5 reanalysis data
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study investigates short-range atmospheric transport of radiocesium (137Cs) after Fukushima nuclear accident using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and the Lagrangian particle dispersion FLEXPART-WRF model. The most up-to-date ERA5 reanalysis dataset is used as initial and boundary condition for the WRF model for every hour. Four experiments were carried out to examine the sensitivity of simulation results to micro-physics parameterizations in the WRF model with two configured domains of 5 km and 1 km horizontal resolution. Compared with observation at Futaba and Naraha station, all experiments reproduce reasonably the variation of 137Cs concentration from 11/03 to 26/03/2011. Statistical verification as shown in Taylor diagrams highlights noticeable sensitivity of simulation results to different micro-physics choices. Three configurations of the WRF model are also recommended for further study based on their better performance among all.
Article Details
Keywords
137Cs dispersion, Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, FLEXPART–WRF model, ERA5 reanalysis data, Futaba, Naraha
References
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[24]. Hong, S.-Y., and J.-O. J. Lim. “The WRF Single-Moment 6-Class Microphysics Scheme (WSM6)”, J. Korean Meteor. Soc., 42, 129–151, 2006.
[25]. Hong, S.-Y., J. Dudhia, and S.-H. Chen. “A Revised Approach to Ice Microphysical Processes for the Bulk Parameterization of Clouds and Precipitation”, Mon. Wea. Rev., 132, 103–120, 2004.
[26]. Thompson, G., R. M. Rasmussen, and K. Manning. “Explicit forecasts of winter precipitation using an improved bulk microphysics scheme. Part I: Description and sensitivity analysis”. Mon. Wea. Rev., 132, 519–542, 2004.
[27]. Katata, G., et al., “Detailed source term estimation of the atmospheric release for the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident by coupling simulations of an atmospheric dispersion model with an improved deposition scheme and oceanic dispersion model”, Atmospheric Chemistry & Physics 15.2, 2015.
[28]. Tsuruta, Haruo, Yasuji Oura, Mitsuru Ebihara, Yuichi Moriguchi, Toshimasa Ohara, and Teruyuki Nakajima. “Time-series analysis of atmospheric radiocesium at two SPM monitoring sites near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant just after the Fukushima accident on March 11, 2011.” Geochemical Journal 52, no. 2, 103-121, 2018.
[29]. Taylor, Karl E. "Summarizing multiple aspects of model performance in a single diagram." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 106, no. D7, 7183-7192, 2001.
[30]. Kinoshita et al., “Assessment of individual radionuclide distributions from the Fukushima nuclear accident covering central-east Japan”, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A., 108, pp. 19526-19529, 2011.
[31]. Sugiyama et al., “Atmospheric dispersion modeling: challenges of the Fukushima Daiichi response”, Health Phys., 102, pp. 493-508, 2012.
[2]. Japan Meteorological Agency, “Information on the 2011 off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake”, 2015.
[3]. IAEA Library Cataloguing in Publication Data, “The Fukushima Daiichi accident, Technical Volume 1: Description and Context of the accident”, IAEA, 2015.
[4]. Chino et al., “Preliminary Estimation of Release Amounts of 131I and 137Cs Accidentally Discharged from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the Atmosphere”, Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 48:7, 1129-1134, 2011.
[5]. Morino et al., “Atmospheric behavior, deposition, and budget of radioactive materials from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March 2011”, Geophysical Research Letters, VOL. 38, L00G11, 2011.
[6]. Yasunari et al., “Cesium-137 deposition and contamination of Japanese soils due to the Fukushima nuclear accident”, PNAS December 6, 108 (49) 19530-19534, 2011.
[7]. Katata et al., “Atmospheric discharge and dispersion of radionuclides during the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Part I: Source term estimation and local-scale atmospheric dispersion in early phase of the accident”, Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 109, 103-113, 2012.
[8]. Le Petit et al., “Analysis of radionuclide releases from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident part I”, Pure Appl. Geophys. , 2012.
[9]. Takemura et al., “A Numerical Simulation of Global Transport of Atmospheric Particles Emitted from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant” , SOLA, Vol. 7, 101−104, doi:10.2151/sola.2011-026, 2011.
[10]. Stohl et al., 2012, “Xenon-133 and caesium137 releases into the atmosphere from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant: determination of the source term, atmospheric dispersion, and deposition” , Atmos. Chem. Phys., 12, 2313–2343, 2012.
[11]. Christoudias and Lelieveld, “Modelling the global atmospheric transport and deposition of radionuclides from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident”, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 1425–1438, 2013.
[12]. Brioude, Jerome, Delia Arnold, Andreas Stohl, Massimo Cassiani, Don Morton, P. Seibert, W.Angevine et al., “The Lagrangian particle dispersion model FLEXPART-WRF version 3.1.”, Geoscientific Model Development, 6.6:1889-1904, 2013.
[13]. Charron et al., “The stratospheric extension of the Canadian global deterministic mediumrange weather forecasting system and its impact on tropospheric forecasts” , Mon. Wea. Rev., 140 (2012), pp. 1924-1944, 2012.
[14]. Kanamitsu et al., “Recent changes implemented into the global forecast system at NMC” , Wea. Forecasting, 6 (1991), pp. 425-435, 1991.
[15]. Davies et al., “A new dynamical core for the Met Office's global and regional modelling of the atmosphere” , Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 131(2005), pp. 1759-1782, 2005.
[16]. Hersbach, Hans, Bill Bell, Paul Berrisford, Shoji Hirahara, András Horányi, Joaquín Muñoz‐Sabater, Julien Nicolas et al. “The ERA5 global reanalysis.” Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society 146, no. 730, 1999-2049, 2020.
[17]. Skamarock, William C., Joseph B. Klemp, Jimy Dudhia, David O. Gill, Dale M. Barker, Michael G. Duda, Xiang-Yu Huang, Wei Wang, and Jordan G. Powers., “A description of the Advanced Research WRF version 3.” In NCAR Tech. Note NCAR/TN-475+ STR. 2008.
[18]. Stohl, Andreas, C. Forster, A. Frank, P.Seibert, and G. Wotawa. “Technical note: The Lagrangian particle dispersion model FLEXPART version 6.2.”, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 62 pages, 2005.
[19]. Ek, M. B., et al., "Implementation of Noah land surface model advances in the National Centers for Environmental Prediction operational mesoscale Eta model", Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 108.D22, 2003.
[20]. Hong, Song-You, Yign Noh, and Jimy Dudhia. “A new vertical diffusion package with an explicit treatment of entrainment processes.” Monthly weather review 134, no. 9, 2318-2341, 2006.
[21]. Dudhia, Jimy, "Numerical study of convection observed during the winter monsoon experiment using a mesoscale two-dimensional model", Journal of the atmospheric sciences 46.20: 3077-3107, 1989.
[22]. Mlawer, Eli J., et al., "Radiative transfer for inhomogeneous atmospheres: RRTM, a validated correlated-k model for the longwave (Paper 97JD00237)", Journal of Geophysical Researche-All Series-102: 16-663, 1997.
[23]. Kessler, Edwin. “On the distribution and continuity of water substance in atmospheric circulations.” pp. 1-84. American Meteorological Society, Boston, MA, 1969.
[24]. Hong, S.-Y., and J.-O. J. Lim. “The WRF Single-Moment 6-Class Microphysics Scheme (WSM6)”, J. Korean Meteor. Soc., 42, 129–151, 2006.
[25]. Hong, S.-Y., J. Dudhia, and S.-H. Chen. “A Revised Approach to Ice Microphysical Processes for the Bulk Parameterization of Clouds and Precipitation”, Mon. Wea. Rev., 132, 103–120, 2004.
[26]. Thompson, G., R. M. Rasmussen, and K. Manning. “Explicit forecasts of winter precipitation using an improved bulk microphysics scheme. Part I: Description and sensitivity analysis”. Mon. Wea. Rev., 132, 519–542, 2004.
[27]. Katata, G., et al., “Detailed source term estimation of the atmospheric release for the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident by coupling simulations of an atmospheric dispersion model with an improved deposition scheme and oceanic dispersion model”, Atmospheric Chemistry & Physics 15.2, 2015.
[28]. Tsuruta, Haruo, Yasuji Oura, Mitsuru Ebihara, Yuichi Moriguchi, Toshimasa Ohara, and Teruyuki Nakajima. “Time-series analysis of atmospheric radiocesium at two SPM monitoring sites near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant just after the Fukushima accident on March 11, 2011.” Geochemical Journal 52, no. 2, 103-121, 2018.
[29]. Taylor, Karl E. "Summarizing multiple aspects of model performance in a single diagram." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 106, no. D7, 7183-7192, 2001.
[30]. Kinoshita et al., “Assessment of individual radionuclide distributions from the Fukushima nuclear accident covering central-east Japan”, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A., 108, pp. 19526-19529, 2011.
[31]. Sugiyama et al., “Atmospheric dispersion modeling: challenges of the Fukushima Daiichi response”, Health Phys., 102, pp. 493-508, 2012.