Radiation Disaster Response Exercise

Academic unit or major

Graduate major in Nuclear Engineering

Instructor(s)

Tatsuya Katabuchi / Satoshi Chiba / Hiroshi Sagara / Chi Young Han

Class Format

Lecture/Exercise

Media-enhanced courses

-

Day of week/Period
(Classrooms)

Intensive (学外)

Class

-

Course Code

NCL.O605

Number of credits

110

Course offered

2020

Offered quarter

4Q

Syllabus updated

Jul 10, 2025

Language

English

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

This course gives an intense immersive experience that includes planning and implementing detection, verification, and retrieval of unknown nuclear and radioactive materials as a radiological emergency response assuming hypothetical radiation disasters caused by nuclear security events where a general disaster response is difficult. In "Exercise 1: Gamma Ray Source Identification", students learn the principles of gamma ray measurement and usage of gamma ray spectrometers, and practice to detect, identify, and recover unknown gamma ray sources indoors. In "Exercise 2: Neutron Source Detection", students learn the principles and usage of neutron detectors, and practice to detect and recover unknown neutron sources indoors. In "Exercise 3: Uranium Enrichment Measurement", students learn how to measure uranium enrichment, and practice to measure gamma ray spectra of low- and high-enriched uranium samples and determine the uranium enrichment. In "Exercise 4: Radiological Emergency Response", assuming a radiological emergency due to a virtual nuclear terrorism, as a first responder, students are missioned to locate, verify, and retrieve unknown virtual radiation sources outdoors.
This course aims to provide students with the emergency response and crisis management capability needed to adequately respond to radiation disasters caused by nuclear security events (sabotage, theft of nuclear or radioactive materials, use of RDD (Radiological Dispersal Device), etc.), and skills such as teamwork and communication that are important for disaster response.

Course description and aims

By taking this course, students will learn and acquire;
1) Comprehensive and systematic thinking and responding ability to radiation disasters caused by nuclear security events
2) Principles of radiation detectors and proper handling methods of radiation detectors used for radiation disaster response
3) Technological capability necessary for quick radiation disaster response (detection, verification/identification of nuclear and radioactive materials, etc.)
4) Teamwork and communication skills for radiation disaster response

Keywords

Radiation Disaster Response, Radiological Emergency Response, Nuclear Security, Crisis Management, Radiation Measurment

Competencies

• Specialist skills
• Intercultural skills
• Communication skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

Prior to performing each exercise, a related lecture is given to learn the objectives and necessary knowledge of the exercise. Each exercise is conducted by organizing students into appropriate groups according to the characteristics and objectives of the exercise. After each exercise, the exercise results are summarized by group and discussed comprehensively.

Course schedule/Objectives

Study advice (preparation and review)

Textbook(s)

Not specified

Reference books, course materials, etc.

Course Materials:
Handouts will be distributed before or at the beginning of classes if necessary.

Evaluation methods and criteria

Activities in Class (30%), Achievements and Teamwork in Exercise Missions (30%), Presentation and Discussion on Exercise Results (20%), and Homework Assignments (20%)

Related courses

• NCL.O401 ： Nuclear Non-proliferation and Security
• NCL.O511 ： Nuclear Non-proliferation and Security Exercise
• NCL.O512 ： Environmental Dynamics of Radioactive Material

Prerequisites

A limited number of students permitted