Changes in the Structure of the Land Cover and Fire Safety of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone Landscapes: Assessment Methods Using Satellites

Sorokina, L.Yu.; Petrov, M.

doi:10.15407/ugz2020.02.045

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 3 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The consequences of wildfires in the highly contaminated area around the CNPP (parts of northern Ukraine, southern Belarus and the western part of the Russian Federation) as well as emission factors or resuspension factors have already been investigated at a local level. − Evidence for long-range transport of RN from fires on an international scale is more recent. , Considerable efforts have been made by Ukraine, Belarus, and the Russian Federation to limit the consequences of fires in contaminated areas. , However, despite preventive measures (e.g., controlled fires, fire-breaks, access trails, limitation of fuel quantities in some areas, minimization of human presence) intended to limit both ignition and the spread of wildfires, they occur on a yearly basis in the Chernobyl area , and affect wildlife . The Chernobyl ecosystem has regularly suffered from major wildfires notably in 1992, 1999, 2000, 2002–2004, 2006, 2010, 2015, 2016, and 2018 , with major impacts on the vegetation cover . For a brief historic review of wildfires in contaminated areas, see the Supporting Information (SI).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…18 The Chernobyl ecosystem has regularly suffered from major wildfires notably in 1992, 1999, 2000, 2002−2004, 2006, 2010, 2015, 2016, and 2018 15,19 with major impacts on the vegetation cover. 20 For a brief historic review of wildfires in contaminated areas, see the Supporting Information (SI). Herein, we investigate the devastating April 2020 wildfires, which lasted for about 4 weeks in the Ukrainian part of the contaminated areas around the CNPP.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Europe-Wide Atmospheric Radionuclide Dispersion by Unprecedented Wildfires in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, April 2020

Romanenko

Saunier

Kirieiev

et al. 2021

Environ. Sci. Technol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

From early April 2020, wildfires raged in the highly contaminated areas around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (CNPP), Ukraine. For about 4 weeks, the fires spread around and into the Chernobyl exclusion zone (CEZ) and came within a few kilometers of both the CNPP and radioactive waste storage facilities. Wildfires occurred on several occasions throughout the month of April. They were extinguished, but weather conditions and the spread of fires by airborne embers and smoldering fires led to new fires starting at different locations of the CEZ. The forest fires were only completely under control at the beginning of May, thanks to the tireless and incessant work of the firefighters and a period of sustained precipitation. In total, 0.7−1.2 TBq 137 Cs were released into the atmosphere. Smoke plumes partly spread south and west and contributed to the detection of airborne 137 Cs over the Ukrainian territory and as far away as Western Europe. The increase in airborne 137 Cs ranged from several hundred μBq•m −3 in northern Ukraine to trace levels of a few μBq•m −3 or even within the usual background level in other European countries. Dispersion modeling determined the plume arrival time and was helpful in the assessment of the possible increase in airborne 137 Cs concentrations in Europe. Detections of airborne 90 Sr (emission estimate 345−612 GBq) and Pu (up to 75 GBq, mostly 241 Pu) were reported from the CEZ. Americium-241 represented only 1.4% of the total source term corresponding to the studied anthropogenic radionuclides but would have contributed up to 80% of the inhalation dose.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Europe-Wide Atmospheric Radionuclide Dispersion by Unprecedented Wildfires in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, April 2020

Romanenko

Saunier

Kirieiev

et al. 2021

Environ. Sci. Technol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Spatiоtemporal analysis of the changes of the main habitats of the Kozachelaherska arena (Nyzhniodniprovsky sands, Kherson region, Ukraine) in the period of 1990–2020

Гарбар¹,

Lavryk²,

Khomiak³

et al. 2023

Auc Geographica

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Landsat satellite images (Landsat-5 for the period of 1990–2010 and Landsat-8 for the year of 2020) were used for the spatiotemporal analysis of the dynamics of the main habitats of the Kozachelaherska arena (Nyzhniodniprovsky sands, Kherson region, Ukraine). The algorithm of minimum distance of automatic k-mean clustering was used for the classification of the satellite images. Habitats were classified according to EUNIS classification principles. The analysis revealed a considerable decrease in a summary area of coniferous plantations in the period of 2000–2010. During the last two decades, the area of losses significantly exceeded the renewal area of coniferous plantations. The area of large permanent aquatic habitats in the north-east part of the arena decreased by 2.5 times in the last thirty years. The water supply of the territory is constantly decreasing, probably due to the reduction in precipitation and in the ground water level. At the same time, the area of territories under open sand doubled, the process of sand overgrowth with vegetation has slowed down, and its losses have increased. All these changes are most likely caused by the increasingly arid climate in southern Ukraine, which may, over time, lead to the replacement of habitats characteristic of sandy steppes with habitats of open sands.

show abstract

Reintegration of the Chornobyl NPP Exclusion Zone on the Basis of the Design-Planning Complex

Ustinova¹,

Dyomin²,

Aylikova³

2020

Ukr. geogr. z.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The aim of the publication is to determine the prerequisites of and to elaborate on the foundations of the Exclusion Zone reintegration in order to address the issue of rational development of urban-planning documentation complex regarding the legitimacy of said territory exploitation. It is established that for the implementation of the «Radioactive waste management strategy» the production complex «Vector» is being constructed on the Exclusion Zone territory; a powerful park of renewable energy generation is being created to implement the «Chornobyl - a Territory of Change» strategy; a Chornobyl Radiation-Ecological Biosphere Reserve was established to support and increase the barrier function of the zone; in order to promote the Safe Chornobyl brand-name, the tourist traffic is being increased and the conditions for the visitors are improving. In the absence of developed and approved city planning documentation, the listed above causes the problem of legitimacy and rationality of the exclusion zone territory use. The paper for the first time raises the question of the need to elaborate the concept of functional planning of the Chornobyl NPP exclusion zone territory and the development of the design-planning complex (urban planning documentation): from the territory.

show abstract

Changes in the Structure of the Land Cover and Fire Safety of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone Landscapes: Assessment Methods Using Satellites

Cited by 6 publications

References 3 publications

Europe-Wide Atmospheric Radionuclide Dispersion by Unprecedented Wildfires in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, April 2020

Europe-Wide Atmospheric Radionuclide Dispersion by Unprecedented Wildfires in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, April 2020

Spatiоtemporal analysis of the changes of the main habitats of the Kozachelaherska arena (Nyzhniodniprovsky sands, Kherson region, Ukraine) in the period of 1990–2020

Reintegration of the Chornobyl NPP Exclusion Zone on the Basis of the Design-Planning Complex

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About