Application of biosphere models in the BIOMOSA project: A comparative assessment of five European radioactive waste disposal sites

Geert Olyslaegers, R Kowe, S Mobbs, P Pröhl, U Bergström, B Kanyar, Theo Zeevaert, I Simon

    Research outputpeer-review

    Abstract

    The BioMoSA (Biosphere Models for Safety Assessment of Radioactive Waste Disposal) project was part of the EC fifth framework research program. The main goal of this project was the improvement of the scientific basis for the application of biosphere models in the framework of long-term safety studies of radioactive waste disposal facilities. Another aim of the project was to provide operators and regulatory bodies with guidelines for performance assessments of repository systems. The study focused on the development and application of site-specific models and a generic biosphere tool BIOGEM (BIOsphere GEneric Model), using the experience from National programs and the IAEA BIOMASS reference biosphere methodology. The models were applied to 5 typical locations in Europe, resulting in estimates of the annual individual doses to the critical groups and the ranking of the importance of the pathways for each of the sites. The results of the site-specific and generic models were then compared. Uncertainty in the results was estimated by means of stochastic calculations which allowed a comparison of the overall model uncertainty with the variability across the different sites considered.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationApplication of biosphere models in the BIOMOSA project: A comparative assessment of five European radioactive waste disposal sites
    Place of PublicationAix-en-Provence, France
    Pages701-706
    StatePublished - Jan 2005
    EventECORAD 2004 - The Scientific Basis for Environment Protection Against Radioactivity - TEC & DOC, Aix-en-Provence
    Duration: 6 Sep 200410 Sep 2004

    Conference

    ConferenceECORAD 2004 - The Scientific Basis for Environment Protection Against Radioactivity
    Country/TerritoryFrance
    CityAix-en-Provence
    Period2004-09-062004-09-10

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