Experts from several European countries provide new details about a mysterious radioactive cloud, which was recorded by monitoring station 3 Oct.
The first was the Italians who found that the cloud consists of a radioactive isotope of ruthenium-106. This is stated in the report of the French Institute for radio protection and nuclear safety (IRSN).
As reported by NPR, Jean-Christophe Gariel, Director of health IRSN, on the basis of obtained data we can conclude that the cloud (which now is dissipated) can be traced along the Russian-Kazakh border.
According to Garies, the cloud effect on the radiation background in Europe, but this is a very low level of radioactivity do not pose a danger to residents. But modelling suggests: people within a radius of several miles from the «epicenter» is to temporarily be in the shelter.
«If this had happened in France, we would have taken measures to protect the population,» he added Gariel.
Ruthenium-106 is an isotope not found in nature. As noted by Anders Ringbom, employee of the Swedish defense research Agency: it is unlikely that the ruthenium-106 was found since the Chernobyl disaster.
According to the IRSN, the cloud was the result of a reactor accident. Most likely, this occurred either in the processing of old nuclear fuel, either during production of the isotopes used in medicine. According to Garies, it’s nothing.
A few nuclear facilities located in the region where the leaking of ruthenium, including Mayak in the Chelyabinsk region – one of Russia’s largest centers for the processing of radioactive materials.
At the same time, according to Jean-Christophe Gariela, Russian officials say they do not know about any radioactive incidents in the region over the past few months.
