Development of a Protoype Mesoscale Computer Model Incorporating Treatment of Topography

Summary

More sophisticated models are now available to simulate dispersal of accidental radioactive releases to the atmosphere; these use mass-consistent windfields and attempt allowance for site-specific topographical features. Our aim has been to examine these techniques critically, develop where possible, and assess limitations and accuracy. The resulting windfield model WAFT uses efficient numerical techniques with improved orographic resolution and treatment of meteorological conditions. Time integrated air concentrations, dry and wet deposition are derived from TOMCATS, which applies Monte-Carlo techniques to an assembly of pseudo-particles representing the release, with specific attention to the role of large eddies and evolving inhomogeneous rainfields. These models have been assessed by application to hypothetical releases in complex terrain using data which would have been available in the event of an accident, and undertaking sensitivity studies. It is concluded that there is considerable uncertainty in results produced by such models; although they may be useful in post-facto analysis, such limitations cast doubt on their advantages relative to simpler techniques, with more modest requirements, during an actual emergency.