Environmental Dynamics of Radioactive Material

Academic unit or major

Graduate major in Nuclear Engineering

Instructor(s)

Kenji Takeshita / Yoshihisa Matsumoto / Hiroshi Sagara / Chi Young Han / Hamza Khalid El-Asaad / Hiroaki Terada

Class Format

Lecture/Exercise

Media-enhanced courses

-

Day of week/Period
(Classrooms)

Intensive

Class

-

Course Code

NCL.O512

Number of credits

120

Course offered

2021

Offered quarter

2Q

Syllabus updated

Jul 10, 2025

Language

English

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

This course gives an intense immersive experience that includes calculation, analysis, and evaluation of the atmospheric dispersion of radioactive materials released by nuclear and radiological disaster such as nuclear accidents or nuclear terrorism. Students will learn environmental dynamics including small-scale dispersion of radioactive materials caused by nuclear security incidents such as sabotage and RDD (Radiological Dispersal Device) use, and large-scale dispersion by nuclear power plant accidents. The class lectures cover radioactive material release, atmospheric dispersion models, water environmental dynamics, biological effects, and nuclear disaster regulation system. The exercises include 1) dispersion of radioactive materials from nuclear terrorism (small-scale dispersion); calculations using a simple plume model and a fast field-portable code for emergency response, and 2) dispersion of radioactive materials from nuclear power plant accidents (large-scale dispersion); simulations using a system for prediction of environmental emergency dose information. This course aims to help students quantitatively understand the characteristics of factors (meteorological condition, source term, and geographical features) influencing on the small-scale and large-scale dispersion of radioactive materials, and provide them with the immediate response capability needed to adequately respond to such nuclear disaster. In addition, students will understand the importance of immediate protection and evacuation of residents in nuclear disaster from their calculation and evaluation results.

Course description and aims

By taking this course, students will learn;
1) Comprehensive and systematic thinking and responding capability to atmospheric dispersion of radioactive materials released by nuclear disaster such as nuclear accidents or nuclear terrorism
2) Technological capability necessary for quick nuclear disaster response (calculation and evaluation of atmospheric dispersion of radioactive materials)
3) Importance of immediate protection and evacuation of residents in nuclear disaster

Keywords

Radioactive Material Dispersion, Atmospheric Dispersion, Nuclear Accident, Nuclear Terrorism

Competencies

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

Class flow

Prior to conducting each exercise, related lectures are given to learn the objectives and necessary knowledge of the exercise.
Each exercise is conducted using one exercise laptop per student. After the each exercise, the exercise results are summarized and presented, and discussed comprehensively.

Course schedule/Objectives

Study advice (preparation and review)

To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend a certain length of time outside of class on preparation and review (including for assignments), as specified by the Tokyo Institute of Technology Rules on Undergraduate Learning (東京工業大学学修規程) and the Tokyo Institute of Technology Rules on Graduate Learning (東京工業大学大学院学修規程), for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.

Textbook(s)

Not specified

Reference books, course materials, etc.

References:
- Steven G. HOMANN and Fernando ALUZZI, “HotSpot Health Physics Codes Version 3.0 User’s Guide,” National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, LLNL-SM-636474, 2014.
- Chika NAKANISH, Sohei SATO, Akiko FURUNO, Hiroaki TERADA, Haruyasu NAGAI, and Shige MUTO, “WSPEEDI-II System User's Manual for a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency,” Nuclear Emergency Assistance and Training Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, JAEA-Technology 2011-005, 2011.

Course Materials:
Handouts will be distributed before or at the beginning of each class when necessary.

Evaluation methods and criteria

Activities in Class (30%), Achievements of 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

Prerequisites

A limit number of students permitted