Chornobyl radiation spikes are not due to military vehicles disturbing soil

• Published in: Journal of environmental radioactivity 2023-09, Vol.265, p.107220-107220, Article 107220
• Main Authors: Wood, M.D., Beresford, N.A., Barnett, C.L., Burgess, P.H., Mobbs, S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chernobyl; Chernobyl Nuclear Accident; Detector response; Environment; Gamma dose rate; Humans; Military action; Military Personnel; Radiation Dosage; Radiation Exposure; Radiation Monitoring; Russian invasion; Safeguards; Soil; Ukraine
• ISSN: 0265-931X; 1879-1700
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2023.107220

On 25th February 2022, increased gamma radiation dose rates were reported within the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ). This coincided with Russian military vehicles entering the Ukrainian part of the CEZ from neighbouring Belarus. It was speculated that contaminated soil resuspension by vehicle movements or a leak from the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant complex may explain these spikes in radiation dose rates. The gamma dose rate monitoring network in the CEZ provides a crucial early warning system for releases of radioactivity to the environment and is part of the international safeguards for nuclear facilities. With the potential for further military action in the CEZ and concerns over nuclear safety, it is essential that such anomalous readings are investigated. We evaluate the hypotheses suggested to explain the apparent gamma dose rate increases, demonstrating that neither military vehicle-induced soil resuspension nor a leak from the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant are plausible. However, disruption of the Chornobyl base-station's reception of wireless signals from the gamma dose rate monitoring network in the CEZ may potentially explain the dose rate increases recorded. •Gamma dose rates increased significantly during Russian invasion of Chornobyl.•Contaminated soil resuspension by military vehicle movements was not the cause.•Spatial distribution of dose rate increases does not suggest radioactive release.•Military electro-magnetic frequency interference potentially explains increases.