Problems faced by the Japanese people 1. Effects of the earthquake - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Problems faced by the Japanese people 1. Effects of the earthquake 2. Effects of the tsunami 3. Concerns about radiation exposures 4. Loss of confidence in the reliability of governmental authorities and maybe also other sources of authority

Flow dynamics/morphological impacts of the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake Tsunami, Japan Japanese PI: Takashi OGUCHI, Univ. Tokyo Counterpart PI: Victor R. BAKER, Univ. Arizona Overview/purpose of the project To investigate landforms along ria-type coasts affected by both the 2011 tsunami and past repeated tsunamis. Major Outcomes 1) Very detailed topographic data were obtained from terrestrial laser scanning. 2) Unique topographic characteristics such as steps along a valley-side slope and unusual valley meanders are ascribed to erosion by repeated tsunamis. 3) Landforms may be used to estimate possible tsunami magnitudes in areas without recent records.

Survey of estimation method for amount of radioactive materials emitted from nuclear power station during severe accident Japanese PI: Dr. Genki Yagawa(Nuclear Safety Research Association), presented by Dr. Ryohji Ohba(NSRA) Counterpart PI: Dr. Paul Bieringer(US-National Center for Atmospheric Research) Overview/purpose of the project The object of this study was to test methods that estimate radiation doses of cloud-shine while excluding the effects of radioactive materials deposited on the ground. Major Outcomes 1) The Japanese team tested equipment and methods for estimating radiation doses from cloud-shine. 2) The US team contributed a survey of information on methods for estimating a time-history of radioactive emissions.

Trac acking t the he di dispe spersion o n of Intr ntrod oducti tion on Metho thods Reul ults ts Conclus usions ons cont ntam amina nated d se sedi diment nt along t al the he mai ain n rivers dr s drai aining t the he radi adioac active pl plum ume in n Fuk Fukushi ushima Prefectur ure ( (Japan) apan) Fingerprinting based on the simple 110m Ag/ 137 Cs ratio (Nitta River catchment) Nov 2011 campaign After the summer typhoons April 2012 campaign After the snowmelt Nov 2012 campaign After the sumer typhoons Upstream contribution Spatial pattern of the initial 110m Ag/ 137 Cs ratio in soils Downstream contribution

Survey program to estimate the washout effect of radioactive materials from soil by rainfall Japanese PI: Dr. Genki Yagawa(Nuclear Safety Research Association), presented by Dr. Ryohji Ohba(NSRA) Counterpart PI: Dr. Mattew Hort(UK-Met Office) Overview/purpose of the project The object of this study was to survey the methods available to estimate the quantity of radioactive washed out by rainfall from ground soil. Major Outcomes 1) Japanese team analyzed the relation of rainfall amount and radiation dose, measured at the contaminated area. 2) UK team introduced information on the computer code to estimate the radiation dose for long period, named “ERMIN”.

Impacts of the Great East Japan Earthquake on the ocean environment Japanese PI: Mitsuo Uematsu, AORI, U of Tokyo, JPN Counterpart PI: Ken Owen Buessler, WHOI, MA, USA To understand the amount, type, and fate of radioactive materials released from the FNPP to the ocean, we examined many of the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the ocean that either determine the fate of radioactivity in the water or that are potentially affected by radiation in the marine environment. Major Outcomes 1)Fukushima Cs isotopes widely distributed and diluted by ocean due to its soluble nature 2) Peak releases early April but remaining ≈1,000 Bq m -3 at NPP today 3)Levels off shore decrease rapidly- horizontal transport fast & vertical mixing slow/seasonal 4)Still some uncertainty in total Cs sources from Fukushima - atmospheric 10-15 PBq 137 Cs - direct ocean discharge 3.5-15 PBq

Research on transportation of artificial radioactive nuclides by settling particles in the ocean Japanese PI: Makio Honda (JAMSTEC) Counterpart PI: Chris German (WHOI) Objective: To verify vertical transport of Fukushima-derived artificial radionuclides by settling particles in the western North Pacific by time-series (TS) collection of settling particles with TS-sediment traps deployed at stations K2, S1 and F1. Major Outcomes: Fukushima-derived radiocesium arrived at deep 1) sea of remote places in the western North Pacific about one month after the accident. 2) The residence time of radiocesium from the upper layer was estimated to be 68 to 312 years. 3) Radiocesium was detected from settling particle collected even one year after the accident. 4) Total radiocesium inventory at F1 was one order (two order) higher than that at K2 (S1). Concentrations (line graph) and flux (bar graph) of 134 Cs at 4810 m of K2 between March 2011 and June 2012. B.D.L. is below detection limit. Stations K2, S1 and F1. Bar graphs are concentrations of 137 Cs in Concentrations (line graph) and flux (bar graph) of 134 Cs at 500 m of F1 surface seawater in April 2011 (modified Honda et al., 2012) between July 2011 and May 2012

Effects of ionizing radiation on bird physiology, phenotype, and fitness in the Fukushima contaminated area of Japan Japanese PI: Mamoru Watanabe (Tsukuba University, Japan) *Shin Matsui, Satoe Kasahara, Gen Morimoto, Keisuke Ueda (Rikkyo University, Japan; * presenter) Counterpart PI: Christelle Adam-Guillermin (IRSN, France) Audrey Sternalski, Jean-Marc Bonzom, Jacqueline Garnier-Laplace (IRSN, France) Purpose of the project is to acquire novel field data pertaining to assess the radiation effects on wildlife in the Fukushima radioactive environment. One of the final targets is trying to establish robust dose-response relationship at various organisational levels in animals to contribute to the derivation of ecological protection criteria. Major Outcomes 1: Japanese researchers found that T r e e Spar r ows Eurasian Tree Sparrows could be more highly exposed to radiation in contaminated nests in the breeding season directly after the nuclear accident than in the later seasons, and that the amount of radioactive contamination would be positively related to nest weight. Major Outcomes 2: French researchers found a positive significant effect of external irradiation level on individual internal contamination from frog around the evacuation zone of Fukushima, and that Great Tit nestlings tend to exhibit lower body condition in highly irradiated sites than in low irradiated Gr e at T its sites, although the difference was not significant.

The detection of radiation induced radicals from teeth enamel by in vivo EPR ( Electron paramagnetic Resonance) Dosimetry Japanese PI: Minoru Miyake, Kagawa University Counterpart PI: Harold Swartz, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth Overview/purpose of the project The main purpose of this project is to collect and analyze the basic data, including base-line EPR signals from volunteers who had potential exposures with radiation related to the nuclear power plant accident, in order to improve the sensitivity and quantity of in vivo EPR dosimetry as a measuring device of radiation expose doses. Specifically, the researcher in Japan makes the measurement of EPR signals in the teeth enamel of volunteers, and the researcher in the United States instructs us regarding the appropriate settings and conditions for the measuring devices used for the joint collaboration of the analyses of the obtained EPR data. With teams from both countries complementary working together, free radicals that are formed inside the crystal lattice of hydroxyapatite tooth enamel can be directly measured by using in vivo EPR spectroscopy, and thus we expect to lead to effective means to assess the occurrence of dangerous levels of absorbed doses of accidental radiation exposure in affected individuals. Major Outcomes 1. We were able successfully to carry out, in vivo EPR measurements from human upper incisors in volunteers from Fukushima 2. There were no indications of radiation-induced signals above background. Future studies will focus on more detailed analysis of the background signals by increasing the number of volunteers who are measured, determining the feasibility of longer measurements to lower the threshold level for detection of radiation-induced signals, and establishing the procedures for obtaining background measurements in individuals with a higher risk of exposure in the future. We also will seek to determine the psychological benefits for volunteers who have been measured.

Disaster Evacuation and Risk Perceptions in Democracies Japanese PI: Norichika Kanie, Tokyo Institute of Technology Noriyuki Ueda, Tokyo Institute of Technology Shunji Matsuoka, Waseda University Counterpart PI: François Gemenne, Sciences Po Alexandre Magnan, Sciences Po Reiko Hasegawa, Sciences Po Overview/purpose of the project This study aims at clarifying the disaster evacuation process and risk perception in demoocracies, by examining the immediate response of Japanese politics and society to the triple disaster triggered by 3.11 earthquake, and providing a comprehensive and multidisciplinary analysis. Major Outcomes 1) How and why instructions were determined and revised as decision-making in evacuation processes. 2) Whether those evacuation instructions were actually effective. 3) How the Fukushima Disaster should be recognized in the context of Japanese culture. 4) How people actually perceived the risk in the disaster area. 5) How Japanese Nuclear Regulatory Agencies should be considered in social context.