“Radiation background is normal” - this phrase is usually used when assessing situations related to the operation of nuclear power plants. The normal radiation background is up to 0.20 µSv/hour (20 µR/hour). The safety threshold for people is 0.30 µSv/hour (30 µR/hour). Sanitary norms and rules prescribe not to exceed the annual effective radiation dose of 1 mSv when performing X-rays. But you will not find the normative value of natural radiation in any international or domestic regulatory document. Why?

Where does natural radiation come from?

The natural radiation background of the Earth is associated with its history and the evolution of the biosphere. Since the birth of our planet, it has been under the constant influence of cosmic radiation. A colossal amount of cosmogenic radionuclides was involved in the formation of the earth's crust. Scientists believe that tectonic processes, molten magma, the formation of mountain systems owe their appearance to radioactive decay and heating of the bowels. In places of faults, shifts and stretching of the earth's crust, oceanic depressions, radionuclides came to the surface and places with powerful ionizing radiation appeared. The formation of supernovae also had an impact on the Earth - the level of cosmic radiation increased tenfold on it. True, supernovae were born about once every hundreds of millions of years. Gradually, the radioactivity of the Earth decreased.

At present, the Earth's biosphere is still affected by cosmic radiation, radionuclides dispersed in solid earth rocks, oceans, seas, groundwater, air and living organisms. The totality of the listed components of the radiation background (ionizing radiation) is commonly called the natural radioactive background. Natural radioactivity includes several components:

• cosmic radiation;
• radioactive substances in the earth's interior;
• radionuclides in water, food, air and building materials.

Natural radiation is an integral part of the natural habitat. The honor of its discovery belongs to the French scientist A. Becquerel, who accidentally discovered the phenomenon of natural radioactivity in 1896. And in 1912, the Austrian physicist W. Hess discovered cosmic rays by comparing the ionization of air in the mountains and at sea level.

The power of cosmic radiation is not uniform. Closer to the earth's surface, it decreases due to the shielding atmospheric layer. Conversely, it is stronger in the mountains, since the protective screen of the atmosphere is weaker. For example, in an airplane that flies in the sky at an altitude of 10,000 meters, the radiation level exceeds ground radiation by almost 10 times. The strongest source of radioactive radiation is the Sun. And here the atmosphere serves as our protective screen.

Natural radiation background in various places of the world

Permissible radiation background in different parts of the world is significantly different. In France, for example, the annual dose of natural radiation is 5 mSv, in Sweden - 6.3 mSv, and in our Krasnoyarsk only 2.3 mSv. On the golden beaches of Guarapari in Brazil, where more than 30,000 people vacation every year, the radiation level is 175 mSv / year due to the high content of thorium in the sand. In the hot springs of the town of Ram-Ser in Iran, the radiation level reaches 400 mSv / year. The famous resort of Baden-Baden also has an increased radiation background, as well as some other popular resorts. The radiation background in cities is controlled, but this is an average figure. How not to get into trouble if you do not want to put your health to the test with an increased dose of natural radionuclides? The radioactivity indicator will become your reliable travel expert.

The city of Pripyat, where the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded on April 26, 1986, has long been considered the most dangerous place on Earth. After the catastrophe, the city air was filled with radioactive particles, which, when they enter the human body, cause irreversible changes in cells and cause the development of cancer and other diseases. From the TV series Chernobyl, for example, people learned how even two minutes of being on the roof of a power plant can halve the duration of a person's life.

However, there is another place in the world where death from radiation can overtake even faster.

This place is the region of the so-called Marshall Islands, located in the Pacific Ocean. On their territory, from 1946 to 1960, the US military conducted nuclear weapons tests. In particular, about 67 nuclear tests were carried out on the islands called Bikini and Eniwetok, which left behind radioactive particles that killed more than 800 local residents.
First atomic bomb

The most damage was done to the island of Bikini. In early July 1946, an atomic bomb was detonated on its territory, similar to the Fat Man, which was dropped on the Japanese island of Nagasaki. The bomb was dropped on 73 obsolete warships, and after the explosion, a lot of radioactive particles remained in the air, dangerous to the health of local residents.

Nuclear tests on Bikini Island in 1946

Despite this, in the 1970s, US authorities assured local residents who moved to nearby islands that Bikini was once again safe for health and they could return. This turned out not to be true, because subsequently 840 local residents died of cancer caused by radiation. About 7,000 people sought to be recognized as victims of US military tests, but only 1,965 people were recognized as such, half of whom subsequently died from various diseases.
The most dangerous place in the world

The island remains hazardous to health even now - this has been proven by researchers from Columbia University. In their opinion, the concentration of radioactive substances in the Marshall Islands is currently much higher than in Chernobyl. In particular, particles of such radioactive metals as cesium, americium and plutonium were found in the air, soil and plants. The concentration of plutonium, by the way, on Bikini Island was 1000 times higher than in Chernobyl.

Ultimately, the researchers decided that the islands of Bikini, Runit, Enjebi, Naen and Eniwetok are the most radioactive places on Earth. At the moment, almost no one lives on them - in 2011, only 9 people lived on Eniwetok. The rest of the Marshall Islands have a much larger population and receive $6 million a year from the US for education and health programs.

Map of the Marshall Islands

Despite the potential danger of nuclear power plants, nuclear energy is considered one of the most environmentally friendly. Some famous personalities, such as Bill Gates, are sure that it is much better than wind and solar energy. There is an opinion that only it is able to save the planet from global warming and its consequences.

Check if there is a nuclear power plant, a plant or an atomic research institute, a storage facility for radioactive waste or nuclear missiles near you.

Nuclear power plants

There are currently 10 nuclear power plants operating in Russia and two more under construction (the Baltic NPP in the Kaliningrad region and the floating nuclear power plant Akademik Lomonosov in Chukotka). You can read more about them on the official website of Rosenergoatom.

At the same time, nuclear power plants in the former USSR cannot be considered numerous. As of 2017, there are 191 nuclear power plants in operation worldwide, including 60 in the US, 58 in the European Union and Switzerland, and 21 in China and India. There are 16 Japanese and 6 South Korean nuclear power plants operating in the immediate vicinity of the Russian Far East. The entire list of existing, under construction and closed nuclear power plants, indicating their exact location and technical characteristics, can be found on Wikipedia.

Factories and scientific research institutes of nuclear subjects

Radiation-hazardous objects (RHO), in addition to nuclear power plants, are enterprises and scientific organizations of the nuclear industry and ship repair plants specializing in the nuclear fleet.

Official information on ROO in the regions of Russia is available on the website of Roshydromet, as well as in the yearbook "Radiation Situation in Russia and Neighboring States" on the website of NPO Typhoon.

radioactive waste

Radioactive waste of low and intermediate level is generated in industry, as well as in scientific and medical organizations throughout the country.

In Russia, Rosatom's subsidiaries RosRAO and Radon (in the Central Region) are engaged in their collection, transportation, processing and storage.

In addition, RosRAO is engaged in the disposal of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel from decommissioned nuclear submarines and ships of the Navy, as well as the environmental rehabilitation of contaminated areas and radiation hazardous facilities (such as the former uranium processing plant in Kirovo-Chepetsk).

Information about their work in each region can be found in environmental reports published on the websites of Rosatom, branches of RosRAO, and the Radon enterprise.

Military nuclear facilities

Among military nuclear facilities, nuclear submarines seem to be the most environmentally hazardous.

Nuclear submarines (NPSs) are so called because they run on nuclear energy, which powers the boat's engines. Some of the nuclear submarines are also carriers of missiles with nuclear warheads. However, major accidents on nuclear submarines known from open sources were associated with the operation of reactors or with other causes (collision, fire, etc.), and not with nuclear warheads.

Nuclear power plants are also available on some surface ships of the Navy, such as the nuclear cruiser Peter the Great. They also pose a certain environmental risk.

Information on the locations of nuclear submarines and nuclear ships of the Navy is shown on the map according to open sources.

The second type of military nuclear facilities are the subdivisions of the Strategic Missile Forces armed with ballistic nuclear missiles. No cases of radiation accidents associated with nuclear ammunition have been found in open sources. The current location of the Strategic Missile Forces formations is shown on the map according to the information of the Ministry of Defense.

The map does not contain storage facilities for nuclear weapons (rocket warheads and air bombs), which can also pose an environmental threat.

nuclear explosions

In 1949-1990, an extensive program of 715 nuclear explosions for military and industrial purposes was implemented in the USSR.

Atmospheric nuclear testing

From 1949 to 1962 The USSR carried out 214 tests in the atmosphere, including 32 ground tests (with the greatest environmental pollution), 177 air tests, 1 high-altitude test (at an altitude of more than 7 km), and 4 space tests.

In 1963, the USSR and the USA signed an agreement banning nuclear tests in air, water and space.

Semipalatinsk test site (Kazakhstan)- the test site of the first Soviet nuclear bomb in 1949 and the first Soviet prototype of a 1.6 Mt thermonuclear bomb in 1957 (it was also the largest test in the history of the test site). In total, 116 atmospheric tests were carried out here, including 30 ground and 86 air tests.

Polygon on Novaya Zemlya- the site of an unprecedented series of super-powerful explosions in 1958 and 1961-1962. A total of 85 charges were tested, including the most powerful in world history - the "Tsar bomb" with a capacity of 50 Mt (1961). For comparison, the power of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima did not exceed 20 kt. In addition, in the Chernaya Bay of the Novaya Zemlya test site, the damaging factors of a nuclear explosion on naval facilities were studied. For this, in 1955-1962. 1 ground, 2 surface and 3 underwater tests were carried out.

Missile test polygon "Kapustin Yar" in the Astrakhan region - the operating training ground of the Russian army. In 1957-1962 5 air, 1 high-altitude and 4 space rocket tests were carried out here. The maximum power of air explosions was 40 kt, high-altitude and space - 300 kt. From here, in 1956, a rocket with a nuclear charge of 0.3 kt was launched, which fell and exploded in the Karakum near the city of Aralsk.

On the Totsk training ground in 1954, military exercises were held, during which an atomic bomb with a power of 40 kt was dropped. After the explosion, the military units had to "take" the objects that had been bombed.

Apart from the USSR, only China carried out nuclear tests in the atmosphere in Eurasia. For this, the Lobnor test site was used in the north-west of the country, approximately at the longitude of Novosibirsk. In total, in 1964-1980. China has carried out 22 ground and air tests, including thermonuclear explosions with a yield of up to 4 Mt.

Underground nuclear explosions

The USSR carried out underground nuclear explosions from 1961 to 1990. Initially, they were aimed at the development of nuclear weapons in connection with the ban on testing in the atmosphere. Since 1967, the creation of nuclear explosive technologies for industrial purposes also began.

In total, out of 496 underground explosions, 340 were carried out at the Semipalatinsk test site and 39 at Novaya Zemlya. Tests on Novaya Zemlya in 1964-1975. were distinguished by high power, including a record (about 4 Mt) underground explosion in 1973. After 1976, the power did not exceed 150 kt. The last nuclear explosion at the Semipalatinsk test site was carried out in 1989, and at Novaya Zemlya in 1990.

Polygon "Azgir" in Kazakhstan (near the Russian city of Orenburg) was used to develop industrial technologies. With the help of nuclear explosions, cavities were created here in the layers of rock salt, and during repeated explosions, radioactive isotopes were produced in them. A total of 17 explosions with a power of up to 100 kt were carried out.

Outside the landfills in 1965-1988 100 underground nuclear explosions were performed for industrial purposes, including 80 in Russia, 15 in Kazakhstan, 2 each in Uzbekistan and Ukraine, and 1 in Turkmenistan. Their purpose was deep seismic sounding to search for minerals, the creation of underground cavities for storing natural gas and industrial waste, the intensification of oil and gas production, the movement of large areas of soil for the construction of canals and dams, and the extinguishing of gas fountains.

Other countries. China carried out 23 underground nuclear explosions at the Lop Nor test site in 1969-1996, India - 6 explosions in 1974 and 1998, Pakistan - 6 explosions in 1998, North Korea - 5 explosions in 2006-2016.

The US, UK, and France have conducted all of their testing outside of Eurasia.

Literature

Many data on nuclear explosions in the USSR are open.

Official information about the power, purpose and geography of each explosion was published in 2000 in the book of the team of authors of the Ministry of Atomic Energy of Russia "Nuclear Tests of the USSR". It also contains the history and description of the Semipalatinsk and Novaya Zemlya test sites, the first tests of nuclear and thermonuclear bombs, the Tsar Bomba test, a nuclear explosion at the Totsk test site, and other data.

A detailed description of the test site on Novaya Zemlya and the test program on it can be found in the article "Review of Soviet nuclear tests on Novaya Zemlya in 1955-1990", and their environmental consequences - in the book "

List of atomic objects compiled in 1998 by the Itogi magazine, on the site Kulichki.com.

Estimated location of various objects on interactive maps

In one form or another, people are regularly exposed to radiation. We have collected 10 places that are among the most radioactive territories on the planet. Being there is life-threatening. And extreme people who stop at nothing should take care of safety.

1. Natural Radiation Ramsar (Iran)

This part of the country is known for having high natural radiation exposure. There are few such places on the planet, radiation activity indicators often exceed 250 m3.

2. Infected sand Guarapari (Brazil)

Due to the natural radioactivity of the natural element monazite, the beaches of Guarapari are considered highly radioactive. The level of radiation activity in places reaches 175 m3.

3. Underground springs from Paralan Ercarolla (Australia)

The hot underground springs of Paralan flow through rocks enriched with uranium. As a result, the hot waters of the springs bring radiation to the surface with their flows.

4. Hanford, Washington (United States of America)

Hanford is part of a research project to develop an atomic bomb. This is where the plutonium used to build the nuclear weapons that hit Nagasaki was produced. Despite the fact that the site has not been operated for a long time, about 2/3 of the radioactive material remained directly in Hanford, which led to the contamination of the soil and groundwater.

5. Central Mediterranean

Researchers suggest that a crime syndicate controlled by influential Italian mafiosi used the Mediterranean Sea as a dumping ground for nuclear waste. A huge amount of recycled radioactive and toxic materials was dropped here - about forty ships.

6. Sea coast of Mogadishu (Somalia)

According to experts, for a long time the coast of the island was used as a cemetery for nuclear waste by various criminal structures. More than 600 barrels of radioactive material have been found here. No one would have known about this if the tsunami had not hit Srmali in 2004. As a result, the find was made public and reburied.

7. Production plant Mayak (Russian Federation)

For a long time, the Russian Federation remained home to a nuclear enterprise called Mayak. At the beginning of 1957, as a result of an accident, about a hundred tons of radioactive waste were “thrown out” into the atmosphere. As a result, there was a big explosion. Up until the 80s. the details of the explosion were kept classified. It turned out that back in the 50s, processed products were dumped into the natural environment. The inhabitants of Karachay suffered - more than four thousand people.

8. Mining and chemical plant Mailuu-Suu (Kyrgyzstan)

Mailuu-Suu is one of the most radiation places on the planet Earth. No, nuclear tests were not conducted here and not a single nuclear power plant was built. Radiation in the area is high due to the mining and processing industry. This is a uranium mining site. The territory of infection is 1,960,000 m2.

Due to the extensive earthquake, the Fukushima nuclear power plant (Japan) was destroyed. To date, this accident is considered one of the worst in the world. The incident caused the meltdown of three nuclear reactors. At a distance of two hundred miles from the station, everything is infected and will be a danger to humans for many decades to come.

10. Chernobyl nuclear power plant (Ukraine)

Chernobyl was home to an accident that horrified the entire world. Six million people were affected that year alone. The number of deaths is ninety-three thousand people. The level of radiation exceeded the levels recorded as a result of the nuclear attack in Nagasaki by a hundred times.

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Radiation. The tragedy at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant instilled fear in many before this word. However, we are sure that as long as there are no terrible accidents, no major emissions happen, everything is fine. But this is a sad delusion, because even residents of cities far from nuclear power plants are not immune from getting a dose of radiation that is harmful to the body. Do you know what the radiation background is in Moscow? Does it exceed the norm? What areas are considered unfavorable in this regard? In this article, we will answer these and other burning questions.

What you need to know about radiation

Radiation - "irradiation") - ionizing radiation. Radioactivity - the instability of atomic nuclei, manifested in their spontaneous decay and emission of ionizing radiation. Let's list the radioactive particles:

1. Alpha - heavy helium nuclei with a positive charge.
2. Beta - electron flows.
3. Gamma - light rays with great penetrating power.
4. X-ray - similar to the previous radiation, but has less activity.
5. Neutrons are neutral particles emitted from nuclear reactors.

If we translate everything that has been said to a person, then for us radiation is particles and rays that can penetrate the body, negatively affecting it at the cellular level, which inevitably leads to serious health problems and even death. This effect is called irradiation - the transfer of radioactive energy to the cells of a living being.

Human Consequences

If the radiation background in Moscow is critically increased, then this will threaten the residents of the capital with the following:

• blood cancer;
• metabolic disorders;
• genetic mutations;
• malignant tumors;
• infertility;
• infectious complications and so on.

The worst thing is that radiation affects a person the more, the younger his body is.

How does radiation affect us? This usually happens in the following ways:

1. Through food and water.
2. Through contaminated air.
3. Through frequent medical procedures involving exposure to radiation.
4. Being close to natural sources of radiation.
5. In view of living close to scientific, industrial radiation enterprises that do not care about protecting the environment from their activities.

Therefore, it is important to know in Moscow, so as not to settle in an area where constant presence is detrimental to the body.

Technogenic and natural radioactivity

Let's make a small digression. If the natural radiation background in Moscow or another city in some area is increased, you should not immediately blame the authorities and enterprises for hiding radioactive dumps or accidents. After all, radiation can be not only man-made, but also natural.

Let's look at the difference:

• natural radiation:
  • Solar, space - we are reliably protected from it by the atmosphere.
  • Earth's crust - comes from building materials, sand, stone. In Moscow, a number of decorative granite slabs on the streets have a high radioactive background.
  • Radon gas - according to some sources, it is emitted by the earth's crust, which is why it "exists" in the basement. And from there, through the ventilation system, it is brought into residential apartments. "Escape" from it is simple - regularly ventilate your home.
• Man-made radiation:
  • Nuclear reactors.
  • Mining sites for underground minerals.
  • radioactive dumps.

Radiation protection

If you, using your own dosimeter, notice that the radiation background in Moscow or the Moscow Region is increased, then the first thing to do is contact:

• to the radioactive safety service "Radon";
• to the Head Department for Civil Defense and Emergency Situations of Moscow;
• to the Center for State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance of Moscow, Department of Radiology.

Then you should take care of your security:

• protect yourself with a temporary barrier from radiation;
• use special protective equipment;
• immediately leave the zone with an increased radiation background in Moscow, try to spend less time there.

Recall the simple means that will protect you from radiation:

• alpha - regular paper sheet;
• beta - glass;
• gamma - lead;
• neutrons - water.

Measurements of the background radiation level in Moscow and the Moscow Region

Let's not sow panic among readers: the radiation level, which is extremely dangerous for human health and life, is 30 microR/h. Nowhere in Moscow today have such figures been recorded!

Here is the official data:

• average radiation background in open areas - 8-12 microR/h;
• sleeping areas - 8 microR/h;
• industrial zones - 8 microR/h;
• city ​​center - 10.8 microR/h;
• the recorded maximum is 20.2 μR / h.

Let's look in the table at the radiation situation in Muscovites' favorite vacation spots.

It's not all bad, but it could be better.

radioactivity in Moscow

As for the capital, a network of sensors has been installed throughout the metropolis, which are designed to monitor the radiation background. Here are some of their locations:

• emb. Kotelnicheskaya;
• st. Timiryazevskaya;
• sq. uprisings;
• emb. Sadovnicheskaya;
• st. Aviamotornaya;
• sh. Kashirskoye;
• sh. Enthusiasts;
• Leninsky Prospekt;
• WWII museum;
• Okhotny Ryad;
• sh. Warsaw;
• sh. Leninskoe.

If you believe the indicators of these devices, then the average background radiation in Moscow is 0.11-0.15 µSv / h.

Disadvantaged areas of Moscow

According to experts, getting a dose of radiation in the capital, though not deadly, but not useful, is quite realistic. They identify the following unfavorable zones:

• Troparevsky forest park;
• District of Lublino;
• Krylatskoe;
• Strogino;
• "Zelenaya Gorka" (Rokossovsky Boulevard) - radioactive burial;
• Area of ​​the hotel "Ukraine";
• "Shcherbinka" - a site for the burial of radioactive waste of the Podolsk plant;
• The city of Sergiev Posad is a rather extensive radioactive dump;
• Lake Solnechnoe;
• Zhestovsky quarry;
• 24th kilometer of the Leningrad highway - here is the plant of the Research Institute of the Center for Testing the Safety of Radiation of Space Objects.

The main danger of these zones is associated with the proximity of waste disposal sites.

Map of radioactive contamination of Moscow and the region

Scientists scrupulously examine data on the background radiation in the capital and surrounding areas. Based on this information, we can distinguish:

1. Particularly polluted areas: Lyubertsy (considered a crisis), Moscow, Khimki, Mytishchi, Noginsky, Voskresensky, Kashirsky, Shatursky, Krasnogorsky district.
2. Medium degree: Schelkovo, Pushkino, Kolomna, Serpukhov, Podolsk, Orekhovo-Zuevo, Ramensky, Leninsky, Pavlovo-Posadsky, Lukhovitsky, Kolomna, Stupinsky district.
3. Relatively clean zones: Egoryevsky, Ozersky, Zaraisky, Serebryano-Prudsky, Naro-Fominsky, Chekhov, Odintsovsky, Mozhaysky, Istra, Volokamsky, Dmitrovsky, Ruzsky, Shakhovskaya district.

Now let's see what radionuclides most each district of Moscow is infected with:

1. Cesium: Eastern, Southeastern, Northwestern. Some sites in the North-Eastern, Northern, Western, South-Western.
2. Radon: East, Northeast, North, South, West. Some areas in the North-West, South-West.
3. Uranus: Northeast, West, Southwest, South. Some zones in the Northwest, East and Southeast.
4. Thorium: Northwest, Southwest. Some sites in the North-Eastern, Western.

Now you are aware of the dangers of radiation for humans, as well as the background radiation in Moscow. Let us reassure you once again: it does not currently exceed the norm that is dangerous for a person. But you should not close your eyes to the areas polluted in this regard. Our advice is to go there as little as possible.