Base Information Q&A SiteJAEA

Radioactivity Dynamics in forests

(2019)

When it rains, does radioactive cesium flow out of forests with soil? 【137Cs flow from river basins and mountain slope】

Amount of radioactive cesium outflow from river basins is possibly lower than that outflowing from mountain slope.

Investigations in Kawauchi Village, Fukushima Prefecture, have revealed that the amount of cesium outflow from small water systems (where a person can look out over whole area) is lower by one order of magnitude than that from an experimental plot located at the slope of a mountain forest.

Image of experimental plot

Fig.1 Image of experimental plot

Table 1 Outflow amount and its rate radioactive cesium and soil at hte slope experimental plot in Ogi District, Kawauchi Village
(November 12, 2013-October 20, 2014)

A:Outflow amount of soil (1 year, 1 m2) 0.012 kg/m2
B:Concentration of radioactive cesium in outflowing soil (137Cs) 16 kBq/kg
C:Amount of outflowing radioactive cesium (1 year, A×B) 0.19 kBq/m2
D:Amount of cesium deposition in soil around experimental plot 770 kBq/m2
E:Rate of outflowing radioactive cesium (1 year, C/D) 0.03 %

Table 2 Amount of soil and cesium outflow in a small water system in Ogi District, Kawauchi Village
(June 27-September 30, 2014)(three months)

A:Amount of outflowing soil (3 months, total river basin) 4.9 kg
B:Concentration of radioactive cesium in outflowing soil (137Cs) about 64 kBq/kg
C:Amount of outflowing radioactive cesium per 54,000m2 (3 months, A×B) about 314 kBq
D:Amount of outflowing radioactive cesium per 1m2 (3 months, C/54,000) about 0.0058 kBq/m2
E:Amount of outflowing radioactive cesium per 1m (1 year, D×4) 0.023 kBq/m2