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Unauthorized Use of Radiation Sources: Measures to Prevent Attacks and Mitigate Consequences
Pages 133-150

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From page 133...
... Radiological terrorism is the deliberate dispersion of radioactive substances, the planting of ionizing radiation sources in the human environs or infrastructure, or acts of sabotage at hazardous radiation facilities, causing radiation impacts on the population and environment and disruption of social life and the economy. Considering the problem as a whole, one may state that a terrorist act involving radioactive substances of any origin can lead to direct and indirect adverse consequences to society.
From page 134...
... In connection with this, serious attention should be paid to potential threats of radiological terrorism acts involving ionizing radiation sources as radiological weapon components. This is due to the wide use of radiation sources in various fields of the economy (industry, agriculture, medicine, and independent power sources; see Table 1)
From page 135...
... have jointly begun work to improve safety in handling radioactive sources, reduce the risk of unauthorized use of sealed radionuclide sources of high activity, and improve the physical protection of radiation sources. Within the framework of this effort, which includes U.S.-Russian cooperation, the Russian Academy of Sciences and Rosatom have started to identify and analyze the physical protection of sealed radioactive sources of high activity and to develop priority measures for improving the state-level system of control, accounting, and physical protection of sealed radioactive sources used in the various sectors of the national economy.
From page 136...
... Real difficulties in organizing control and accounting of such ionizing radiation sources can be confirmed by the officially recorded number of detected
From page 137...
... A similar situation is true for other industrially developed countries; for example, in the United States up to 200 radioactive sources are lost annually. Within the framework of the U.S.-Russian cooperation in improvement of physical protection of nuclear materials, work has included development of recommendations on measures aimed at reducing the possibility of unauthorized use of ionizing radiation sources as based on the analysis of available information.
From page 138...
... An important task of such analyses is to develop approaches to identifying priorities for setting out measures to prevent radiological terrorism acts and minimize consequences. The existing security measures and priorities are based, as a rule, on independent analysis of separate factors such as the design of a dispersion device and its radiation component, a limited set of scenarios of clandestine movements of the dispersion device or its parts, delivery methods to the terrorism scene, and the population affected by the possible consequences of a terrorist act.
From page 139...
... In urban conditions, the situations are most likely to pertain to groups 2 and 3, that is, where indirect consequences prevail as compared to direct radiation consequences for a small group of people at the scene. However, there are scenarios involving a large public presence and possibly significant exposure doses to Significant direct radiation impact with large exposure doses for a restricted number of persons (contamination density of a small area)
From page 140...
... A summary analysis of the results of assessments of consequences associated with several radiological terrorism scenarios is given below. The first scenario involves planting a radioactive source containing 60Co in a subway car.
From page 141...
... The indirect consequences of such a terrorist act will include radioactive contamination of the subway station and adjacent territories from the spread of radioactive substances and closing of the station, and possibly a section of the subway line, for a significant period of time. Simultaneous closing of several stations and transfer stations will nearly immobilize subway operations and cause huge transportation problems.
From page 142...
... High time and spatial irregularity of the radiation situation parameters causes technical and methodological difficulties in the organization of monitoring and analysis of the radiation situation soon after the act. There is a need to develop special technical means of measurement and computer codes for the processing of monitoring data to obtain adequate estimates of the situation and to outline solutions for population protection.
From page 143...
... The information for political and economic decision makers must include not only radiation risk and population protection data, but also data on economic efficiency of these measures, their social acceptability, and their sufficiency. We may consider the following criteria for zoning territory with radiation impact to the population: · Zone 1: radiation impact zone, which includes territories where radiation effects to the population's health are detected or where emergency criteria are exceeded · Zone 2: normal condition guidelines are exceeded, including human exposure limits for normal conditions, environment contamination levels based on sanitary and ecological criteria, external dose rates related to natural background values, and accepted contamination levels for accidents · Zone 3: socioeconomic consequences, where social and economic conditions are disrupted and the population's radiation concerns are clearly manifested As a rule, in all of the radiological terrorism scenarios in an urban area, the size of low-contaminated sections (Zones 2 and 3)
From page 144...
... The involved category includes those who witnessed the event but whose radiation dose resulting from a radiological terrorism act does not exceed guidelines for normal conditions. For example, for detonation of a dirty bomb in the subway, the involved would be all passengers of cars present at the station at the moment of the blast.
From page 145...
... At all levels of response to the radiation threat, there is so-called social risk amplification, which leads to great growth in the scale of indirect losses. This is confirmed by the experience of past radiation accidents.
From page 146...
... The mechanism for working out measures and setting priorities to prevent, terminate, and minimize consequences of radiological terrorism acts can be represented, with some simplifications, in the form of the diagram shown in Figure 4. Outlining effective measures and priorities requires a systems approach based on the multiattribute analysis of · various scenarios of illegal acquisition and paths of radioactive substance movements, taking into account their camouflage from detection equipment, especially for alpha and beta emitters · possible designs of dispersion devices, and paths and targets for terrorist acts · a whole set of consequences (radiological, ecological, sanitary and hygienic, economic, social, and so forth)
From page 147...
... development of methods for radiation surveys in urban conditions, including at critical infrastructure objects, life support systems, and public places, and for designing the most effective measures to protect the population In this regard the following operations are needed immediately: · creation of hardware and software for control and prevention of carrying and conveying radioactive substances into public places or critical facilities of the city · development of methods and hardware and software sets for radiation surveys in urban conditions · development of decision-making support systems for adequate countermeasures for public protection in the event of a terrorist act involving radioactive substances Stationary and mobile equipment for monitoring and surveying the radiation situation must ensure accurate and complete input information and prompt transmission and processing of data for large numbers of radioactively contaminated objects within the limited time for decision making. Requirements for the equipment for detection of illicit trafficking of radioactive substances, their control and accounting systems, and special termination measures must be based on a realistic assessment of dangerous quantities of various radionuclides (especially alpha and beta emitters)
From page 148...
... The prompt (within several seconds) detection of a moving ionizing radiation source requires a statistically verified detector with counting speed over the background; that is, at the background counting speed of about 1 pulse, the counting should be approximately double that.
From page 149...
... Besides, in densely populated cities the development of operative and highly effective systems for support of decision making based on state-of-the-art means of communications and monitoring techniques becomes ever more important. A number of priority tasks may be identified: · the development of requirements for equipment and organization of a system for detection of illegal movements of radioactive substances, based on an analysis of potential consequences of their use and method of their delivery to the radiological terrorism scene · the development and manufacture of corresponding detection equipment · the creation of the corresponding methodological basis, software and hardware support, and system for expert support of decision making regarding population protection · the generation of recommendations for a regulatory basis in the field of
From page 150...
... 150 COUNTERING URBAN TERRORISM IN RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES radiation safety, which will ensure effective protection of human health and prevention of unjustified social and economic consequences · the development of a methodology and equipment for radiation survey and monitoring in large cities · the establishment of national specialized centers for expert support of decision making regarding protection of the population and territories in the event of radiological terrorism · the development of a strategy and establishment of a corresponding system for emergency response and protection of population and territories in the event of radiological terrorism · the establishment of national and international systems to objectively inform the public about radiation risks, radiation safety approaches and guidelines, and lessons learned from radiation accidents and incidents of the past To address the radiological terrorism issue, the implementation of work in these areas should be backed up by the best practices of U.S.-Russian cooperation in the field of radiation safety and protection. This will allow for finding ways to reduce the probability of radiological terrorism acts and to minimize their direct and indirect consequences should they occur.


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