integral value of the source term

English translation: total (see discussion)

21:51 Oct 25, 2016
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Science - Mathematics & Statistics
English term or phrase: integral value of the source term
Some analyses of ocean contamination provide not only the integral value of the source term but its kinetics as well.

Another sentence (integral estimation):
The uncertainty in the direct release source term is generally smaller and most analyses show results in the range from 1 PBq to 5.5 PBq of 137Cs (Table 1.4–8), except for the most conservative integral estimation given by IRSN


More info:
Source term: A source term is a specific type of release characteristic of a reactor family representative of a type of accident, i.e. in general, a mode of containment failure following complete core meltdown.
Masoud Kakouli Varnousfaderani
Türkiye
Local time: 08:11
Selected answer:total (see discussion)
Explanation:
The section is talking about Caesium-137 release from the site - both direct release and subsequent atmospheric and ocean contamination. The term just means the total release (which is indeed the time integral but that's just an overly complex way of putting it).
Selected response from:

DLyons
Ireland
Local time: 05:11
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +2total (see discussion)
DLyons
3 +2integration value of the radioactive contamination
Port City
Summary of reference entries provided
Definition of source term
Helena Chavarria
Why I should avoid mentioning a mathematical integration:
Didier Fourcot

Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
integration value of the radioactive contamination


Explanation:
This isn't my field at all, but "integral value" is "value of integral" as used in calculus.
TEPCO used the term "integrated value".
http://www.nsra.or.jp/isoe/english/fukushima/contamination02...



Port City
New Zealand
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Daryo
11 hrs
  -> Thank you!

neutral  Didier Fourcot: The reference is correct, however it is about doses, it integrates mSv/h dose rates and get mSv along time, here we are talking of activity
13 hrs
  -> Thank you for your input.

agree  acetran
13 hrs
  -> Thank you!
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
integral value
total (see discussion)


Explanation:
The section is talking about Caesium-137 release from the site - both direct release and subsequent atmospheric and ocean contamination. The term just means the total release (which is indeed the time integral but that's just an overly complex way of putting it).

DLyons
Ireland
Local time: 05:11
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 24

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Terry Richards
1 hr
  -> Thanks Terry.

neutral  Daryo: it does sound like "just an overly complex way of putting it" but if they feel the need to put it that way I would leave it that way
9 hrs
  -> Thanks Daryo. You have a point.

agree  Yasutomo Kanazawa
22 hrs
  -> Thanks Yasutomo.
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Reference comments


46 mins peer agreement (net): -1
Reference: Definition of source term

Reference information:
https://www.iaea.org/ns/tutorials/regcontrol/appendix/app933...

Helena Chavarria
Spain
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
disagree  acetran: Since it is the same definition the asker provided with his question. Thanks for pointing out.
18 hrs
  -> I think it's probably the same definition the asker provided with his question / I THINK it's the same one but I'm not sure. I only wanted to help someone. I'm sorry you don't find the reference helpful and thanks for making that clear :)
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15 hrs peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: Why I should avoid mentioning a mathematical integration:

Reference information:
Let's come back to basics and units of measure: a Becquerel is a complicated name for the reciprocal of a second:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becquerel
https://orise.orau.gov/reacts/guide/measure.htm
one Bq is one disintegration per second
so the "integral value" if we integrate the number of Becquerels of a source over time is the total number of disintegrations, ie a dimensionless plain number; we should also specify the timeframe of integration, because the source will likely disintegrate before and after our measurement.

However as the period is 30 years, we may consider for the usual timeframes that the activity of the source is constant, ie a (x Bq source) today still disintegrates x Bq tomorrow or one year from now.
So there is no point in mathematically integrating these Becquerels over time, they will repeat tomorrow and the day after, they just measure a quantity of radioactive material.

So if we see today 1 million Bq flowing through a waterway, then 2 millions tomorrow, we may say that 3 millions have passed, this is the concept of kinetics: amount of radioactivity measured at each time period.

The total "integral" number is the total amount of radioactivity that has been released; it is actually an accumulation over time, but I should avoid the mathematical concept of integration because the radioactivity does not disappear.
Let's compare with a water flow: the integral of a flow measured in liters per second is the total volume that has flown, in liters.
BUT the total radioactivity that has been flowing if the radioactivity is 1000 Bq/l remains x times 1000 Bq/l, not 1000 disintegrations per liter.

The confusing thing is that although Bq is s-1, it is NOT a division by time, like m/s, l/s, this is also the reason whay it is different from Hz, which is also formally s-1: travelling at 1 m/s leaves you 1 m ahead after 1 second, but nothing happens after 1 second looking at a source of 1 Bq: an other disintegration will happen over and over again (in fact it will slowly decay to half of it after 30 years), so the concept of integration is confusing and should be replaced with a total over time.

Didier Fourcot
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  acetran
3 hrs
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