MET-RODOS - A COMPREHENSIVE ATMOSPHERIC DISPERSION MODULE

A comprehensive meteorological dispersion module called MET-RODOS is b eing developed to serve the real-time RODOS(1-3) decision support syst em with an integrated prediction capability for airborne radioactive s pread, deposition and gamma radiation exposure on all scales. Depositi on, ground level air concentrations, and ground level gamma dose rates from up to 15 simultaneous released nuclides are calculated using a n ested system of local and long range atmospheric dispersion models, dr iven by real-time available on-line meteorological information. The ME T-PODOS module uses concurrently the available source term and weather information in the RODOS data base system, and returns, up to +36 h f orecasts of nuclei-specific air and deposited concentrations including gamma dose rate estimations for display and subsequent processing wit hin the RODOS framework. Weather and meteorology is available to the s ystem via on-line connections to on-site local meteorological observat ions (met-towers and sodars) and via network (either public domain Int ernet or user-owned point-to-point ISDN) connections to remote nationa l or international meteorological forecasting services. In its final f orm, scheduled for operational use in 1999, the: MET-RODOS meteorologi cal module is intended to service the PODOS system with actual and for ecast (+36 h) nuclei-specific air concentrations, deposition values, a nd gamma radiation estimates on the local, national, and European scal e. Provisions are furthermore being made for accommodating on line ava ilable radiological monitoring data in the meteorological model chains in order for the module to assist with source term determination base d on real-time data assimilation and back-fitting procedures.