RD&D-Programme 2004 - SKB

One of the central questions is how the risk measure is to be applied in accordance with SSI’s
regulations and how the tools and models are to be adapted accordingly. SKB is awaiting SSI’s
general recommendations when it comes to this question. The tools also need to be developed to
be able to handle, effectively and flexibly, the new processes that have been identified and the
site-specific data that will be produced, see section 20.11. Planned workshops will be important
forums for coordinating the assessment of site data with the assessment of the repository’s
long-term safety.
Methods and knowledge concerning the consequences of radionuclides for the environment will
be developed in close connection with the results that have been produced by Fasset and will be
produced by Erica. The systems ecology models being developed by SKB are well-suited for
calculating the concentration in different types of biota.
20.11 Supportive research for site investigation programme
Conceptual and quantitative uncertainties in the biosphere are largely caused by a lack of, and
poor quality of, site data. To support the development of dose models and furnish site-specific
data for the safety assessments, data need to be gathered during site investigations. A number of
examples have been given in the above paragraphs. When it comes to the biosphere, in contrast
to other disciplines, SKB has relatively little experience historically of gathering data from
field investigations. That is why methods have been developed at the same time as available
knowledge and resources have been compiled. The goal, however, is that most of the data
collection should take place within SKB’s site investigation organization. The site investigation
programme is one of the most extensive data collection efforts for simultaneous measurement
of parameters ever undertaken in Sweden on a limited site. Variables and parameters judged to
be important to collect in a site investigation were given in a report /20-5/. The site investigation
has also been coordinated with the geosphere programme in order to find common needs of data
for boundary conditions, material for the environmental impact assessment, material for future
monitoring programmes, and measures to reduce environmental disturbances in connection with
the site investigations. A great emphasis has also been placed on identifying the impact different
investigations have on each other.
The site investigation programme is described in /20-2, 20-5/, and the first summarizing
results can be found in version 1.1, which is the first site investigation for each site. The site
descriptions are based on a series of background reports which describe the various parts of the
ecosystems, for example vegetation /20-47/, fauna, topography, climate, land use and deposits.
Conclusions in RD&D 2001 and its review
See section 20.2.
Newfound knowledge since RD&D 2001
The biggest effort of recent years has been to convey the safety assessment’s data needs to
the site investigation organization, and furnish experts in different fields to plan and execute
investigations in the surface ecosystems /20-55, 20-69, 20-70, 20-78/. A heavy emphasis has
been placed on planning and optimizing the site investigations and the analysis work so that the
results are of good enough quality to be used for safety assessment, understanding of processes
and modelling /20-2/. A technical group, EKG, has been started with monthly meetings to
expedite the exchange of information between site investigations, the analysis group, safety
assessment and research.
Important new insights that have led to a better understanding of processes and the
distribution of features in the ecosystems have been described in a number of reports.
The aquatic ecosystems have been investigated and described in /20-70, 20-75, 20-113/.
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