Simulation of radioactive plume gamma dose over a complex terrain using Lagrangian particle dispersion model

FLEXPART-WRF is a versatile model for the simulation of plume dispersion over a complex terrain in a mesoscale region. This study deals with its application to the dispersion of a hypothetical air borne gaseous radioactivity over a topographically complex nuclear site in southeastern France. A computational method for calculating plume gamma dose to the ground level receptor is introduced in FLEXPART using the point kernel method. Comparison with another similar dose computing code SPEEDI is carried out. In SPEEDI the dose is calculated for specific grid sizes, the lowest available being 250 m, whereas in FLEXPART it is grid independent. Spatial distribution of dose by both the models is analyzed. Due to the ability of FLEXPART to utilize the spatio-temporal variability of meteorological variables as input, particularly the height of the PBL, the simulated dose values were higher than SPEEDI estimates. The FLEXPART-WRF in combination with point kernel dose module gives a more realistic picture of plume gamma dose distribution in a complex terrain, a situation likely under accidental release of radioactivity in a mesoscale range.