IBRAE RAN PARTICIPATION IN MITIGATION OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT

Many leading scientists and experts of IBRAE RAN participated directly in mitigation of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident before the creation of the Institute: Bolshov L. A., Arutyunyan R. V., Linge I. I., Antipov S. V., Barkhudarov R. M., Bakin R. I., Bogatov S. A., Gavrilov S. L., Goloviznin V. M., Ilyushkin A. I., Kanevsky M. F., Kiselev V. P., Merkushov V. P., Pavlovsky O. A., Panchenko S. V., Seleznev E. F., Strizhov V. F., Skorobogatov A.m., Tkalya E. V., Chernov S. Yu., Shikin A.V.

Since its establishment, IBRAE RAN works on information and analytical support of programs to mitigate the consequences of the Chernobyl accident. The necessary database to analyze the various aspects of post-accident situation and provide public authorities at all levels with comprehensive information was created as a result of this work. In particular, it includes the Central Bank of aggregate data (radiological-hygienic, demographic, medical, social, and so on), integrated decision support systems, information retrieval and reference systems. A bank of models and fund of algorithms and programs is formed; a geoinformation system with basic maps for the areas of high radiation risk is created. All databases are combined into information system "Chernobyl"; its various components operate in EMERCOM of Russia and other organizations.

INFORMATIONAL AND ANALYTICAL SUPPORT TO EMERCOM OF RUSSIA

Since 1996, IBRAE RAN renders information and analytical support to EMERCOM of Russia in making the lists of settlements related to zones of radioactive contamination after Chernobyl disaster. Information and reference system, designed by IBRAE, provides data entry, making the lists of settlements located within the boundaries of the zones of radioactive contamination as a result of the accident at the Chernobyl NPP, as well as summary (integral) tables. The results of IBRAE analysis of current data show that at present, 2,406 communities located in 12 regions of the Russian Federation with total population of about 1 million people meet the requirements of the Law "On social protection of citizens exposed to radiation as a result of the Chernobyl disaster".

In 1991-1993, the Russian-German measuring program was implemented with the participation of IBRAE RAN. The aim of the program was to determine the doses to the population of territories affected by radioactive contamination from the Chernobyl accident.

The key feature of the measurement program was comprehensiveness of scientific research. The activities covered a wide range of measurements and made it possible to evaluate all possible ways of radionuclide effect on human body, including through inhalation and food chains. Examination covered almost 60 settlements located in the contaminated areas of the Bryansk, Tula and Kaluga regions, with a total area of about 100 thousand km². Special attention was paid to the measurements of internal doses of inhabitants of these territories using whole body counters. More than 160 thousand persons were examined (about 50% of them - the inhabitants of the Bryansk Region).

Scientific results of 20-year study of the laws of internal dose formation, including the results of the Russian-German measurement program were presented at international seminar "Evaluation of doses to the residents of the Bryansk Region on the basis of measurements of cesium-137 content in exposed organisms" held at IBRAE in 2006.

IBRAE PARTICIPATION IN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RUSSIAN-BELARUSIAN CHERNOBYL PROGRAMS

Since 1998, the Russian Federation works closely with the Republic of Belarus to address the problems of the Chernobyl. The main purpose of the first Russian-Belarusian programs was the formation and improvement of the agreed elements and mechanisms of legal regulation of joint activities of Russia and Belarus to overcome the consequences of the Chernobyl accident. As a part of the information-analytical support of joint actions in 1998-2005, IBRAE experts with the Gomel Institute of Radiology created the common Russian-Belarusian data bank on key aspects of the Chernobyl disaster. In 2003-2010, the Russian-Belarusian Information Center (RBIC) functioned at IBRAE RAN with the technical support of the Institute. The purpose of Centre activities was information and analytical support of program implementation, development of unified information policy on Chernobyl issues within the framework of the UnionState, minimization of social and psychological consequences of the Chernobyl disaster, overcoming of post-Chernobyl stress and ensuring of high efficiency of all program activities by improvement of public awareness and perception.

IBRAE experts participated in the organization and conduct of monitoring of social and psychological situation in the contaminated areas of Russia (Bryansk, Kaluga, Orel and Tula Regions) and Belarus (Gomel region) in 2002-2010.

According to the "Program of joint activities to overcome the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster in the UnionState", in 2006-2009, Belarusian and Russian experts made the large and important work on the preparation and issue of the "Atlas of radioactive contamination of Belarus and Russia". The Atlas includes not only retrospective and modern, but also forecast maps. Yu.A. Izrael, Academician of RAS, and I.M. Bogdevich, Academician of NAS of Belarus, were the co-Chairmen of the Editorial Board of the Atlas. The Editorial Board and the Working Group on Atlas development included IBRAE experts: L.A. Bolshov, R.V. Arutyunyan, I.I. Linge, A.V. Simonov and A.M. Skorobogatov.

In the 2011-2013, EMERCOM of Russia and the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus with the participation of IBRAE experts prepared the concept and Program of joint activities to address the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster within the UnionState up to 2016 and agreed it with the relevant ministries of the two states.

The most important areas of the Program include the package to ensure the implementation of general information, education and social remediation policy in the field of radiation safety, restoration and sustainable development of the contaminated areas.

THE MAIN ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS TO MITIGATE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT IN WHICH IBRAE EXPERTS HAVE TAKEN PART

The State Target Programs to mitigate the consequences of radiation accidents

• Unified Government Program to protect the population of the Russian Federation from the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster for 1992-1995 and up to 2000. Approved by the Resolution of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation of July 14, 1993, No. 5437-1 regarding urgent measures for 1993-1995.
• The Federal Target Program for protection of the Russian population from the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster for the period up to 2000. Approved by the Government of the Russian Federation of August 28, 1997, No. 1112.
• The Federal Target Program "Overcoming the consequences of radiation accidents for the period up to 2010" (the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of August 29, 2001, No. 637) - Stage 1: 2002-2006.
• The Federal Target Program "Overcoming the consequences of radiation accidents for the period up to 2010" (the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 22, 2006 № 793) - Stage 2: 2007— 2010.  
• In 2011, the activities under the Federal Target Program "Overcoming the consequences of radiation accidents for the period up to 2015" started.

The Joint Programs of activities to the consequences of the Chernobyl accident within the UnionState

• The Program of joint activities to address the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster within the UnionState of Belarus and Russia for 1998-2000. (The Decree of the Executive Committee of the Union of Belarus and Russia of June 10, 1998, No. 1. The Council of Ministers of the UnionState extended validity for 2001by the Decree of December 21, 2000, No. 34).
• The Program of joint activities to address the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster within the UnionState of Belarus and Russia for 2002-2005. (The Decree of the Council of Ministers of the UnionState of April 17, 2002, No. 17)
• The Program of joint activities to address the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster within the UnionState of Belarus and Russia for 2006-2010. (The Decree of the Council of Ministers of the UnionState of September 26, 2006, No. 33)

The publications on mitigation of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident

In the 25 years of its activity, IBRAE in collaboration with various Russian and foreign organizations prepared a large number of publications on various aspects of mitigation of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident. In 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011, the Russian National Reports on the results and prospects of mitigation of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident were prepared in cooperation with EMERCOM of Russia. In 2006 and 2011, the collected articles on the results of the Federal Target Program "Overcoming the consequences of radiation accidents for the period up to 2010" and "Overcoming the consequences of radiation accidents for the period up to 2015" were issued. Among the significant publications issued with IBRAE active participation and by IBRAE RAN, it is necessary to mention the collected scientific papers "Socio-economic consequences of the Chernobyl accident by the example of the Bryansk Region" (2006), Proceedings of the International Specialized Exhibition "Chernobyl: environment, human, health" (2006), the monograph "Analysis of population needs for information about the Chernobyl accident" (2006) and a whole number of other works.