IPSN MONITORING CAPABILITIES AND INFORMATION NETWORKS IN ACCIDENT CONDITIONS

In 1989, a Radiological Transmission and Early Warning System (SYTAR) came into being. Its purpose is twofold: to harmonise radioactivity su rveillance methodologies and to trigger off an alert throughout the ne twork whenever an unusual degree of radioactivity is detected. SYTAR i s a remote permanent system linking up a national electronic access an d the radiological protection services of nuclear facilities located i n continental France. The structure of the network is described in the context of a drill organised in October 1991 in the southeast of Fran ce. During this drill, an accident was simulated at a fictitious nucle ar power plant located in the Cadarache Research Centre. A large numbe r of samples were collected: aerosols, soil, grass, milk, vegetables, food stuff. Some samples were contaminated with Cs-137 and I-131 befor e being sent to laboratories for measurement. The results of radioacti vity measurements were transmitted to the drill participants using the SYTAR network. These measurements were used to determine the area clo sed to access, the radiological impact and required counter-measures.