EVNUDET

EVNUDET: Electric Vehicle Batteries as Components of a Post Nuclear Detonation Radiological Environment

Depending on the nature of the detonation and the environmental conditions under which it occurs, the primary radiological environment after a nuclear detonation, as for Hiroshima and Nagasaki, may be governed by the activation products of the intense neutron flux as opposed to fission product fallout. Understanding of this environment is made difficult due to the lack of relevant analogues and the stark difference between the modern urban landscape and those environments for which information does exist. This problem is possibly exacerbated by the presence of large amounts of materials with high thermal capture cross-sections such as in electronics and modern building materials. Electric vehicle batteries (EVB) represent strong concentrations of high cross section materials which may present a significant radiological challenge to first responders and survivors alike in situations where the neutron induced activity is the primary dose contributor. The EVNUDET project will focus on the dimensioning of this potential contributor to the post-detonation radiological environment thereby contributing to improved capacities in a priori emergency planning, improved radiation protection for first responders and a better understanding of the complexities of the radiation environment in the severe damage zone where rescue and recovery operations will be focused.

Mark Dowdall:  mark.dowdall@dsa.se 

phone number: +47 67162500