Overview of Remote Atmospheric Radionuclide Monitoring Data Associated with Historic Nuclear Explosions

Abstract A literature review on historic atmospheric radionuclide monitoring data associated with nuclear explosions is presented. It covers reports on tests conducted by four countries between 1964 and 1996 and those related to the six announced nuclear tests of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea between 2006 and 2017. Most of these nuclear explosions occurred in the atmosphere, but observation of nuclear debris from the venting of underground nuclear tests was also found. The review is limited to off-site monitoring. Many observations were done at large distances, including several nuclear explosions detected in multiple locations, generally in the same hemisphere. The measurement methods developed over time, and many different fission and activation products were identified. Examples are given, and further suggestions are made about how this data set is of value for validating and enhancing methods based on radionuclide analysis and related atmospheric transport simulations to identify and characterize the source of an event relevant to atmospheric radioactivity monitoring for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.