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BOOKLET to Provide Basic Information Regarding Health Effects of Radiation (3rd edition)

Ambient Dose Rates during Two Weeks after the Accident
(Within and around of the premises of TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi NPS)

Ambient Dose Rates during Two Weeks after the Accident (Within and around of the premises of TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi NPS)_Figure

In accordance with the progress of events, fuel melted and radioactive materials was discharged from the pressure vessel to outside of the reactor. As a result of containment vessel vent operations and damage to reactor buildings, radioactive materials were discharged from the reactor core into the air. Vent operation at Unit 1 was considered to be successful as the pressure in the containment vessel declined at 14:30 p.m. on March 12. Due to the radioactive plume discharged at that time, an ambient dose rate of approx. 1 mSv/h was detected [(i) in the figure]. On March 13, the following day, the ambient dose rate clearly increased again [(ii) in the figure]. This is considered to have been caused by vent operation at Unit 3 conducted after the water level in the reactor declined and the fuel was exposed from cooling water. At 9:00 a.m. on March 15, the highest rate of approx. 12 mSv/h was observed [(iii) in the figure]. Early in the morning at around 6:00 a.m. of that day, the pressure of the pressure suppression chamber declined at Unit 2 with the sound of an explosion. Therefore, the high dose rate on March 15 is considered to have been caused by the discharge of radioactive materials from Unit 2.

Ambient dose rate increases were also measured at 23:00 p.m. on March 15 and at 12:00 p.m. on March 16 [(iv) and (v) in the figure]. Pressure decline in the containment vessel was observed in Unit 3 and Unit 2, respectively, and these ambient dose rate increases are considered to have been caused by the discharge of radioactive materials from Unit 3 and Unit 2.

  • Included in this reference material on March 31, 2013
  • Updated on March 31, 2022
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