A mysterious increase in radiation levels in northern Europe was detected this month by authorities in several countries, although no nation has yet come forward to claim responsibility for the anomaly.
An anomalous radioactive spike (at levels considered harmless to humans, but significant enough to be picked up by radiation monitoring stations) has been reported in Northern Europe. European nuclear authorities announced the discovery of this radioactive cloud after a new reading of man-made radionuclide particles in the atmosphere.
The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority tweeted Wednesday: “Very low levels of radioactive substances have been measured. Cesium-134, cesium-137, cobalt-60 and ruthenium-103”.
Similar observations have also been made by the radiation protection authorities in Norway and Finland. A couple of days later he pronounced himself too Lassina Zerbo, executive secretary of the Global Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization.
Zerbo tweeted a map of this radioactive mini cloud that outlines the possible region of origin of the anomaly. It is largely located in a territory within Russia (in an area that would include two nuclear power plants). However, the anomaly also includes parts of Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
Man is involved
“These isotopes most likely come from a civilian source,” Zerbo tweeted. The official suggested that it was a source linked to nuclear energy production. Specifying: not to nuclear weapons.
“We can indicate the probable source region. However, it is not within the mandate of the CTBTO extension (Global Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization) identify the exact source.”
On Friday, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) also spoke out. The Institute announced that, based on an analysis of available data, the “combination of radionuclides could depend on an anomaly in the fuel elements of a nuclear power plant”.
Based on available evidence, the organization suggested that the detected radioactive particles came from the direction of western Russia. He then clarified that this does not mean that they are definitively linked to the Russian plants.
The radionuclides seem to have traveled from the direction of western Russia to Scandinavia. At the moment, however, it is not possible to indicate a specific country of origin.
Radioactive peak, the Russians: "no problem here"
In response to the hypotheses circulating online, a spokesperson for Rosenergoatom, part of the Russian society fornuclear energy Rosatom said that the two nuclear power plants in the region are operating normally. And he points out: with normal radiation levels reported.
“Both stations are operating at normal capacity. There were no complaints about the work of the plant.” This is Rosenergoatom's laconic statement to the Russian news agency TASS.
“The aggregate emissions of all specified isotopes in the aforementioned period did not exceed the reference numbers. We do not report incidents related to the release of radionuclides outside containment facilities.”
A little mystery
At present, it is difficult to say whether further evidence will confirm the origin of this light wave of radiation. The accident reminds a similar situation occurred in 2017, where another radioactive cloud was detected in Europe.
During that episode (also at levels harmless to people) many suggested the responsibility of the Russian plants.
