NNSA hosts international technical exchange to enhance aerial radiological emergency response

In October, NNSA hosted the 12^th Aerial Measuring System (AMS) International Technical Exchange, bringing together over 30 participants from 12 countries and Taiwan. The event, organized by NNSA’s Office of Nuclear Incident Policy and Cooperation, strengthens international collaboration on aerial radiological measurement and emergency response strategies.

Learning from the Past to Prepare for the Future

Past nuclear incidents – such as Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima – have significantly impacted global emergency response strategies. These real-world events have prompted continuous assessments of radiological emergency responses, revealing lessons and areas for improvement. Together with the evolving nuclear landscape, these historic challenges emphasize the need for enhanced preparedness.

Strengthening Global Collaboration

Since its inception in 2012, the AMS Technical Exchange has grown into a global initiative, bringing together organizations from across Europe, North and South America, and Asia. This year’s event focused on sharing best practices, lessons learned, and technical advancements in aerial measurements. It also sought to foster open scientific discussions aimed at solving specific challenges faced by participants, which included representatives from Austria, Canada, Czechia, France, Germany, Iceland, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and Taiwan. This exchange provided participants with a unique opportunity to improve emergency response capabilities by exploring how past incidents influenced national and international emergency response efforts and strategizing for emerging threats.

Focusing on Data Analysis and Future Workshops

This technical exchange serves as a platform for exploring the effects of previous incidents on national or international emergency response capabilities, focusing especially on aerial measurements. It also includes discussions on scenario-based planning for emerging threats, thereby providing opportunities to discover new strategies, equipment, training methods, and best practices. The exchange highlighted the diverse approaches each country uses for data analysis and discussed ways to improve calibration methods, algorithms, and processing techniques.

Looking ahead, NNSA will host a data analysis workshop in March 2025 at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters in Vienna, Austria. The workshop will allow participants to compare methodologies, explore advancements in software, and refine the techniques used to process aerial radiological data. This effort is crucial for advancing the capabilities of emergency response teams and ensuring the safety of the public in the event of a nuclear or radiological incident or accident.

Preparing for Future Exercises

In addition to ongoing collaboration, participants also discussed future preparedness exercises. The upcoming Aerial Gamma Calibration exercise in Switzerland and the IAEA ConvEx3 exercise in Romania will offer further opportunities to test and refine the strategies and technologies discussed at the AMS International Technical Exchange.

The AMS International Technical Exchange continues to be a vital platform for fostering collaboration, innovation, and progress in aerial radiological emergency response. By building these partnerships and enhancing technical capabilities, the global community is better equipped to address the challenges of the ever-changing nuclear landscape.

More information about AMS and NNSA’s emergency response initiatives is available online.