Speaker
Description
Understanding and accurately modelling Xe-133 is fundamental for the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) to monitor compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. Therefore, the potential of nudging techniques within FLEXPART-LCM, the Linear Chemistry Module of FLEXPART 11, to improve global Xe-133 background concentration fields is examined. Based on simulations and observations from 2014, the analysis provides a detailed assessment of this approach.
Nudging, which involves adjusting mass tendencies for particles near observation stations, enables simulations to align more closely with observations. Its application resulted in substantial overall improvements, including significant reductions in bias and mean square error, as well as higher coefficients of determination at most observation stations. However, improvements at independent validation stations excluded from the nudging process were relatively minor, likely due to the limited spatial coverage of the observation network and the short atmospheric lifetime of Xe-133.
Expanding the observational network could further enhance the effectiveness of this approach, broadening its applicability to independent validation stations and improving the accuracy of global Xe-133 background concentration fields. Such advancements are critical for strengthening the International Monitoring System (IMS) of the CTBTO and advancing nuclear event verification efforts.
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