Phonon Drag Contribution to Thermopower for a Heated Metal Nanoisland on a Semiconductor Substrate.

The possible contribution of phonon drag effect to the thermoelectrically sustained potential of a heated nanoisland on a semiconductor surface was estimated in a first principal consideration. We regarded electrons and phonons as interacting particles, and the interaction cross-section was derived from the basic theory of semiconductors. The solution of the equation of motion for average electrons under the simultaneous action of phonon drag and electric field gave the distributions of phonon flux, density of charge carriers and electric potential.

137Cs mobility in soils and its long-term effect on the external radiation exposure.

To predict the external gamma-dose rate of Chernobyl-derived 131Cs for a period of about 100 years after its deposition, the vertical distribution of radiocesium in several meadow soils in the Chernobyl area and in Germany was determined, and the corresponding residence half-times of his radionuclide in the various soil layers were evaluated using a compartment model. The resulting residence half-times were subsequently used to calculate the vertical distribution of 137Cs in the soil as a function of time and finally to predict the external gamma-dose rates in air for these sites at various times. A regression analysis of the data obtained showed that the time dependence of the relative gamma-dose rate in air D(t) at the Chernobyl sites can be described by an exponential equation D(t) = a + b x exp (-t/c), where t is the time after deposition.

Ratios of transfer coefficients for radiocesium transport in ruminants.

A corollary of the multiple-compartment model for the transport of trace elements through animals was tested for cows, goats, and sheep. According to this corollary, for a given body "compartment" k of the animal (soft tissue, lung, liver, etc.), the ratio a(k) = f(k)/f(blood) of the transfer coefficients f, should exhibit similar values for physiologically similar animals.

Acute and long-term effects of irradiation on pine (Pinus silvestris) strands post-Chernobyl.

The effect of ionizing irradiation on the viability of pine stands after the fallout from the damaged nuclear energy plant at Chernobyl (ChNPP) was shown within the territory of the 10-km zone. During the period 1986-1991, irradiated and damaged forest stands, so-called 'red forest', located in this area were systematically classified by observation. Mortality rate, re-establishment, development of tree canopies, reproduction anomalies and stand viability were shown to be dependent on absorbed irradiation dose, on the age of the stand and on forest composition.