A software application developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory makes accurate, actionable information available after an unexpected airborne release of radioactive materials, enabling first responders, policymakers and health care professionals to respond quickly and effectively.
The software, called QUIC-DEPDOSE (Quick Urban & Industrial Complex Dispersion Modeling System), combines QUIC, an atmospheric plume dispersion application, with DEPDOSE, an respiratory deposition and dose calculation application. QUIC-DEPDOSE accurately calculates radiation doses to individuals from inhalation of radionuclides upwind of a radioactive plume. The tool can be run on an average laptop computer in a few minutes.
“Any unexpected radiological releases pose a threat to human health, economic well-being and global stability,” said Matthew Nelson, co-principal investigator on the project and an engineer in Los Alamos’ Analytics, Intelligence and Technology Division.
“We have seen evidence of this in past events, such as the Chernobyl disaster, as well as in modern-day threats, such as Russia’s takeover of a Ukrainian nuclear power plant. QUIC-DEPDOSE uses real topography to model the spread and deposition of radiological particles, from kilometers across a city to micrometers in the human respiratory tract.”
In addition, QUIC-DEPDOSE takes into account the effects of terrain and cityscapes, uses a building infiltration model and includes almost 1,000 different radionuclides.
“That data makes it a very powerful tool to guide evacuations and emergency response while minimizing harm to citizens and first responders,” said John Klumpp, the other co-PI and a health physicist at Los Alamos. “The software is easy to use, portable, and fast: it can be run by a layperson at an emergency scene in less than 30 minutes.”
Accurate and timely information about likely radiation doses to people upwind of a release can help inform important public safety measures, such as who should evacuate or take shelter, what evacuation routes to follow in the event of an evacuation, who needs emergency medical care, where and for how long emergency services can operate in the affected area, and how to prepare for possible future releases.
Unlike other plume dispersion modeling tools, QUIC-DEPDOSE provides individualized radiation doses by using inhalation and respiratory tract parameters based on age, sex, and activity (e.g., sleep, rest, exercise). QUIC-DEPDOSE can also track the movement of individuals, so calculated doses take into account individual circumstances, such as a jogger riding through a radioactive plume or emergency responders responding in a vehicle. These parameters can have a significant impact on the dose an individual receives.
More information:
QUIC is available for government research and through research and commercial licensing to state agencies, universities, and industry. Interested users can contact www.lanl.gov/projects/quic/ to obtain a license. DEPDOSE is publicly available on GitHub.
Provided by Los Alamos National Laboratory
Quote: New software protects public from airborne radiation (2024, September 23) Retrieved September 23, 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-09-software-airborne.html
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