• Title/Summary/Keyword: Fukushima nuclear power plant

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Analysis of Awareness of Radiation and Nuclear Power Plants after Fukushima Nuclear Accident (후쿠시마 원전 사고 후 방사선 및 원전에 대한 인식 분석)

  • Kim, Changsoo;Kim, Dong-Hyun;Kim, Jung-Hoon
    • The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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    • v.13 no.9
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    • pp.281-287
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    • 2013
  • Based on surveys of Busan residents, this study aimed to analyze general perception: radiation knowledge, recognition of the standard of knowledge, radiation benefits, recognition of the risks of nuclear power, collection of information on the Fukushima nuclear accident, recognition of changes before and after the Fukushima nuclear accident, and the path of collecting information about nuclear power and radiation. This analysis was based on 414 people who reside in Busan metropolitan city. It has been found that the Busan metropolitan city residents acknowledged the necessity of radiation in principle, however, most have negative awareness relating to safety. It is assumed that this negative awareness is a result from past nuclear power plant accidents, rather than being based on their own knowledge of radiation. Therefore, it is considered that efforts to change people's awareness necessitate education of the public. This can be done via media, widening the range of people's knowledge, and furthermore, promoting changes within people's awareness and perspectives.

A Phenomenological Study on the Elementary Teachers' Perception towards Socio-Scientific Issue: Around the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accident (과학 관련 사회적 문제(socio-scientific issue)에 대한 초등학교 교사들의 인식에 관한 현상학적 연구: 후쿠시마 원전사고를 중심으로)

  • Wee, Soo-Meen;Jang, Keun-Young;Lim, Sung-Man;Yang, Il-Ho;Kim, Soon-Mi
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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    • v.6 no.3
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    • pp.174-184
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    • 2013
  • The purpose of this study was to investigate the awareness of elementary school teachers on the socio-scientific issues. Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accident was used by concrete issue connected with SSI for this study. Participants in this study were twelve elementary school teachers studying at K University Graduate School of Education, located in the central region, who underwent a semi-structured interview. The study method was the phenomenological research method which is one of the qualitative research methods, and the interview papers had been examined by three scientific experts. As a result of the study, it was divided into twenty six themes, eight theme clusters, and two categories, and considered the thoughts on the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, its influence on Korea, the relationship between science and society as a result of the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, interested in social issues related to science, application in class, response from students and the influence on students. Teachers had a general understanding of science-related social issues, but did not have much interest in the subject. However, they mentioned that to apply the issues in the curriculum would have a positive influence and encourage scientific motivation in students and, furthermore, helped them to develop the awareness of science in their surroundings. A greater interest in socio-scientific issues need to require from teachers and, through including these issues in the curriculum, we should have positive influence in developing science education.

Radiation Monitoring in the Residential Environment: Time Dependencies of Air Dose Rate and 137Cs Inventory

  • Yoshimura, Kazuya;Nakama, Shigeo;Fujiwara, Kenso
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • v.47 no.1
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    • pp.30-38
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    • 2022
  • Background: Residential areas have some factors on the external exposure of residents, who usually spend a long time in these areas. Although various survey has been carried out by the government or the research institutions after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, the mechanism of radiocesium inventory in the terrestrial zone has not been cleared. To better evaluate the radiation environment, this study investigated the temporal changes in air dose rate and 137Cs inventories (Bq/m2) in residential areas and agricultural fields. Materials and Methods: Air dose rate and 137Cs inventories were investigated in residential areas located in an evacuation zone at 5-8 km from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. From December 2014 to September 2018, the air dose rate distribution was investigated through a walking survey (backpack survey), which was conducted by operators carrying a γ-ray detector on their backs. Additionally, from December 2014 to January 2021, the 137Cs inventories on paved and permeable grounds were also measured using a portable γ-ray detector. Results and Discussion: In the areas where decontamination was not performed, the air dose rate decreased faster in residential areas than in agricultural fields. Moreover, the 137Cs inventory on paved surfaces decreased with time owing to the horizontal wash-off, while the 137Cs inventory on permeable surfaces decreased dramatically owing to the decontamination activities. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the horizontal wash-off of 137Cs on paved surfaces facilitated the air dose rate decrease in residential areas to a greater extent compared with agricultural fields, in which the air dose rate decreased because of the vertical migration of 137Cs. Results of this study can explain the faster environmental restoration in a residential environment reported by previous studies.

Comparison of Dose Rates from Four Surveys around the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant for Location Factor Evaluation

  • Sanada, Yukihisa;Ishida, Mutsushi;Yoshimura, Kazuya;Mikami, Satoshi
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • v.46 no.4
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    • pp.184-193
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    • 2021
  • Background: The radionuclides released by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident 9 years ago are still being monitored by various research teams and the Japanese government. Comparison of different surveys' results could help evaluate the exposure doses and the mechanism of radiocesium behavior in the urban environment in the area. In this study, we clarified the relationship between land use and temporal changes in the ambient dose rates (air dose rates) using big data. Materials and Methods: We set a series of 1 × 1 km2 meshes within the 80 km zone of the FDNPP to compare the different survey results. We then prepared an analysis dataset from all survey meshes to analyze the temporal change in the air dose rate. The selected meshes included data from all survey types (airborne, fixed point, backpack, and carborne) obtained through the all-time survey campaigns. Results and Discussion: The characteristics of each survey's results were then evaluated using this dataset, as they depended on the measurement object. The dataset analysis revealed that, for example, the results of the carborne survey were smaller than those of the other surveys because the field of view of the carborne survey was limited to paved roads. The location factor of different land uses was also evaluated considering the characteristics of the four survey methods. Nine years after the FDNPP accident, the location factor ranged from 0.26 to 0.49, while the half-life of the air dose rate ranged from 1.2 to 1.6. Conclusion: We found that the decreasing trend in the air dose rate of the FDNPP accident was similar to the results obtained after the Chernobyl accident. These parameters will be useful for the prediction of the future exposure dose at the post-accident.

Analysis of Public Perception on Radiation: with One Year after Fukushima Nuclear Accident (방사선의 대국민 인식도 분석: 일본 후쿠시마 원전 사고 1주년 계기)

  • Park, Bang-Ju
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • v.37 no.1
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    • pp.1-9
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    • 2012
  • A year has passed since the nuclear power plant accident in Fukushima on March 11, 2011, and a survey for public perception on radiation by Korean people has been made. The methodological design was based on a quantitative survey and a frequency analysis was done. The analysis objects were survey papers (n=2,754pcs) answered by random ordinary citizens chosen from all over the country. The questionnaires, and study tool, were directly distributed and collected. A total of 40 questionnaires using a coefficient of Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ per each area was 'self perception of radiation' (0.620), 'radiation risk' (0.830), 'benefit from radiation' (0.781), 'radiation controlled' (0.685), 'informative source of radiation' (0.831), 'influence degree from Fukushima accident' (0.763), showing rather high score from all areas. As the result of the questionnaires, the knowledge of radiation concept was 69.50 out of 100 points, which shows a rather significant difference from the result of 'know well about radiation' (53.7%) and 'just know about radiation' (37.40%). According to the survey, one of the main reasons why radiation seems risky was that once exposed to radiation, it may not have negative impacts presently but, the next generation could see negative impacts (66.1%). About 41% of our respondents showed a negative position against the government's report on radiation while 39.5% of respondents said that we should stop running nuclear power in light of Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. This study was done for the first time by Korean people's public perception on radiation after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. We expect this might have significant contributions to the establishment of the government's policy on radiation.

Cloud Computing Based Analysis Incorporated with the Internet of Things (IoT) in Nuclear Safety Assessment for Fukushima Dai-ichi Disaster (후쿠시마 다이-이치 재해에 대한 원자력 안전 평가에서 사물 인터넷 (IoT)과 통합된 클라우드 컴퓨팅 기반 분석)

  • Woo, Tae-Ho;Jang, Kyung-Bae
    • Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
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    • v.6 no.1
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    • pp.73-81
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    • 2020
  • The internet of things (IoT) using cloud computing is applied to nuclear industry in which the nuclear power plant (NPP) accident is analyzed for the safety assessment. The Fukushima NPP accident is modeled for the accident simulations where the earthquake induced plant failure accident is used for analyzing the cloud computing technology. The fast and reasonable treatment in the natural disaster was needed in the case of the Fukushima. The real time safety assessment (RTSA) and the Monte-Carlo real time assessment (MCRTA) are constructed. This cloud computing could give the practicable method to prepare for the future similar accident.

Semantic Network Analysis on Teen's Perceptual Construct about Nuclear Power (고등학생들의 원자력 인식구조에 대한 언어 연결망 분석)

  • Kim, Bong-Chul;Chung, Woon-Kwan;Choi, Myung-Il
    • The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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    • v.15 no.7
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    • pp.578-590
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    • 2015
  • This paper investigated how high school students perceive on nuclear power applying semantic network analysis. The total number of 250 high school students in 6 metropolitan areas responded to the survey. Results indicate that the word which most frequently appeared is 'Nuclear plant' (87 times) following by 'Japan' (71 times), 'Danger'(59 times), 'Fukushima' (59 times), 'Radioactivity' (56 times), 'Energy' (47 times), 'Youngkwang' (37 times), 'Electricity' (30times), 'Chernobyl' (29 times), 'Explosion' (25 times). For students in higher acceptance level of nuclear 'Radioactivity' (25 times) was most frequently showed up following by 'Fukushima' (23 times), 'Energy' (21 times), 'Japan' (21 times), Nuclear plant' (20 times), 'Danger' (17 times), 'Youngkwang' (16 times). For student in lower acceptance level of nuclear, the word of 'Nuclear plant' (40 times) most frequently appeared following by 'Japan' (31 times)', 'Danger' (29 times), 'Fukushima' (23 times), 'Radioactivity' (17 times), 'Energy' (16 times), 'Youngkwang' (16 times), 'Chernobyl' (15 times).

A Study on Awareness of Nuclear Power Generation and Fukushima Contaminated Water (원자력발전과 후쿠시마 오염수에 대한 인식 연구)

  • Yeon-Hee Kang;Sung Hee Yang;Yong In Cho;Jung-Hoon Kim
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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    • v.18 no.2
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    • pp.109-117
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    • 2024
  • In order to determine the level of awareness of nuclear power generation and Fukushima contaminated water, this study conducted an online survey targeting the general public living in the Busan area and analyzed a total of 201 questionnaires. Independent samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance were conducted to verify differences in variables according to the characteristics of the study subjects, and correlation analysis was conducted to confirm the correlation between variables. First, the results of the study showed that women had a more negative perception of nuclear power generation and Fukushima contaminated water than men. In terms of age, it was found that people in their 40s and older had a high level of negative perception. In terms of political inclination, progressive respondents showed a higher negative perception toward nuclear power generation and Fukushima contaminated water. Second, information on nuclear energy was most often collected through the Internet, broadcasting, and SNS. Third, the higher the negative perception of nuclear power generation, the more negative the results were in terms of issues of concern following the discharge of contaminated water at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Nuclear power cannot be separated from human life. Therefore, it is believed that accurate information and a knowledge delivery system are needed to ensure correct awareness of nuclear power generation.

From Hiroshima to Fukushima: Nuclear and Artist Response in Japan (히로시마에서 후쿠시마까지, 핵과 미술가의 대응)

  • Choi, Tae Man
    • The Journal of Art Theory & Practice
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    • no.13
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    • pp.35-71
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    • 2012
  • The purpose of this essay is to examine the responses of artists on nuclear experiences through an analysis of the nuclear images represented in contemporary Japanese art. Japan has previously as twice experienced nuclear disaster in 20th century. The first atomic bombs were dropped in 1945 as well as the 5th Fukuryumaru, Japanese pelagic fishing boat, exposed by hydrogen bomb test operated by the US in 1954 nearby Bikini atoll. Due to Tsunami taken place by the great earthquake that caused the meltdown of Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in March 2010, Japan is being experienced a nuclear disaster again. Despite practical experiences, comtemporary Japanese art has avoided the subject of nuclear disasters since the end of the Asia-Pacific War for a variety of reasons. Firstly, GHQ prohibited to record or depict the terrible effect of atomic bomb until 1946. Secondly, Japanese government has tried to sweep the affair under the carpet quite a while a fact of nuclear damage to their people. Because Japan has produced numerous war record paintings during the Second World War, in the aftermath of the defeated war, most of Japanese artists thought that dealing with politics, economics, and social subject was irrelevant to art as well as style of amateur in order to erase their melancholic memory on it. In addition, silence that was intended to inhibit victims of nuclear disasters from being provoked psychologically has continued the oblivion on nuclear disasters. For these reasons, to speak on nuclear bombs has been a kind of taboo in Japan. However, shortly after the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, the artist couple Iri and Toshi Maruki visited to ruin site as a volunteer for Victim Relief. They portrayed the horrible scenes of the legacy of nuclear bomb since 1950 based on their observation. Under the condition of rapid economical growth in 1960s and 1970s, Japanese subculture such as comics, TV animations, plastic model, and games produced a variety of post apocalyptic images recalling the war between the USA and Japanese militarism, and battle simulation based on nuclear energy. While having grown up watching subculture emerged as Japan Neo-Pop in 1990s, New generation appreciate atomic images such as mushroom cloud which symbolizes atomic bomb of Hiroshima. Takashi Murakami and other Neo-Pop artists appropriate mushroom cloud image in their work. Murakami curated three exhibitions including and persists in superflat and infantilism as an evidence in order to analyze contemporary Japanese society. However, his concept, which is based on atomic bomb radiation exposure experience only claimed on damage and sacrifice, does not reflect Japan as the harmer. Japan has been constructing nuclear power plants since 1954 in the same year when the 5th Fukuryumaru has exposed until the meltdown of Fukushima Nuclear Plant although took place of nuclear radiation exposures of Three Mile and Chernobyl. Due to the exploding of Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, Japan reconsiders the danger of nuclear disaster. In conclusion, the purpose of this paper may be found that the sense of victim which flowed in contemporary art is able to inquire into the response of artist on the subject of nuclear as well as the relationship between society, politics, culture, and modern history of Japan and international political situation.

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Development of logical structure for multi-unit probabilistic safety assessment

  • Lim, Ho-Gon;Kim, Dong-San;Han, Sang Hoon;Yang, Joon Eon
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.50 no.8
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    • pp.1210-1216
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    • 2018
  • Site or multi-unit (MU) risk assessment has been a major issue in the field of nuclear safety study since the Fukushima accident in 2011. There have been few methods or experiences for MU risk assessment because the Fukushima accident was the first real MU accident and before the accident, there was little expectation of the possibility that an MU accident will occur. In addition to the lack of experience of MU risk assessment, since an MU nuclear power plant site is usually very complex to analyze as a whole, it was considered that a systematic method such as probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) is difficult to apply to MU risk assessment. This paper proposes a new MU risk assessment methodology by using the conventional PSA methodology which is widely used in nuclear power plant risk assessment. The logical failure structure of a site with multiple units is suggested from the definition of site risk, and a decomposition method is applied to identify specific MU failure scenarios.