Virtual%20Plumes%20Workshop%20%20Paul%20Holland,%20Exelon%20Pat%20Mulligan,%20NJDEP

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Virtual Plumes WorkshopPaul Holland,
ExelonPat Mulligan, NJDEP
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Workshop Objectives

• Background
• What is Virtual Plumes?
• What are the Benefits?
• What Virtual Plumes is Not!
• Developing Data Sets
• Scenario Development
• Running a Scenario
• Post Exercise Evaluation

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What it was like (not so long ago)

• Reams of paper
• Over reliance on controllers
• No onus on players performance
• Perfect Data every time!
• Overall negative training and re-enforcement
• No opportunity to learn or interpret real
  conditions

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Whats Wrong with that?

• Realized there was little training benefit to our
  current process both in the field and in our
  assessment centers
• The meter needle needed to move
• There was a lack of understanding of basic RP
  principals
• The world is not a perfect place (though we play
  like it is)

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What would make this better?

• Need to put the player in as realistic situation
  as possible
• Meters need to respond as if the plume actually
  existed
• Put the onus on the player to collect the data
  rather than the controller to provide the data

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Virtual Plumes

• Software
• Simulates a radioactive plume released to the
  environment
• Mapping program that connects software to
  hardware
• Hardware
• GPS
• Controller interface via computer
• Simulation Equipment

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Player/Controller Benefits

• Provides real time data to the individual using
  the meter
• Forces the player to really know how to use the
  meters
• Provides a true training opportunity and
  experience
• Re-enforces good RP practices

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Player/Controller Benefits

• Reduces Controller errors
• Allows the evaluator to really observe the
  players performance
• MAKES THE PLAYERS IN THE FIELD AND AT THE
  ASSESSMENT CENTER THINK!

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Developer Benefits

• Consistency in Development Process
• One method (tool) to develop scenarios
• One computer used to develop scenarios
• Assumptions and defaults are not varied (at least
  not unintentionally)
• Encrypted Data Files

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Developer Benefits

• Speed
• Planning sessions are not complicated
• Limited upfront planning required (limited data
  required for development)
• Draft scenarios can be developed in minutes for
  stakeholder review
• Scenarios can be modified on the fly during a
  planning session

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Developer Benefits

• Reuse existing data
• Release points
• PIN sets
• Instrument sets
• Evacuation Sets

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What VP is Not!

• Dose Assessment Model
• Cannot be used in a real emergency
• Not designed to match any particular dose
  assessment model (in fact it is better if it does
  not)
• Will not accurately generate very close in dose
  rates

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Baseline Development Data Sets

• Release Points
• Key Distance
• Pin Sets
• Instrument Sets
• Evacuation Areas

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Release Points
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Key Distance

• THE most important concept for developers to
  understand!
• If you understand Key Distance the rest is gravy!

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Key Distance

• Key distance is the basis for all calculations
• Virtual Plumes uses Gaussian distribution
• Key distance is the reference point for the
  calculations
• Determines values for any point in space

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Key Distance

• Must be greater than 1 mile
• NOT direction specific
• Match key distance to an available point in dose
  assessment model.
• Available stability classes can be affected by
  the chosen key distance.

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Pin Sets

• Supply fixed survey or reference points
• User has the option which pin sets are displayed
• Need to associate Pin Sets during development
• Pin Data (dose rates and air conc.) may be
  displayed real time

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Working with Pin Sets
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Instrument Sets

• Equalize variations in instruments used by
  different response groups.
• Air Samples
• Sample counting
• All players get the same answer regardless of
  instrument used.

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Configure Instrument Sets
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Evacuation Area

• Labor Intensive to develop
• Reusable once developed
• Must be associated during development
• Can be displayed/removed at any point during
  scenario

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Evacuation Areas
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Program Defaults

• For experienced and advanced users Only!
• Many, many options available
• You really need to understand what you are
  actually changing
• Some of the settings have very little
  consequences
• Some settings will significantly change the way
  calculations are performed.

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External Interface

• Allows Virtual Plumes to be a database engine for
  other programs
• Receive data requests and send data through
  TCP/IP interface
• Requires creation of a common command structure
• Flexible and easily modified
• Uses last location or Lat/Lon data requests

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External Interface
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Instrument Interface

• Built in interface for configuring Teletrix
  instruments
• Others instruments can access the TCP/IP
  interface
• Dont need instruments to run the scenario

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Instrument Interface
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Configure GPS Device

• Virtual Plumes has a GPS interface for
  determining field team location in real time
• Eliminates the need for the controller to
  manually locate field teams on the map
• Reduces controller errors

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Configure GPS Device
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Configuring Dosimeters

• Virtual Plumes has an interface that will enable
  real time simulation of an electronic dosimeter
  (not required)
• Not a real dosimeter, electronically tracks dose
  and responds with audible dose and dose rate
  alarms

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Configure Dosimeters
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Scenario Maintenance

• Three key parameters are needed to start the
  development of a scenario
• Release Point
• Plume Path
• How Deposition is Calculated

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Release Point

• Select release point from the drop down list
  available (These are the ones you have created)
• Remember that there may be multiple release
  points for any one facility (eg. Elevated,
  ground, turbine building, etc.)

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Plume Path

• User defined path User defines where the plume
  will travel.
• Straight Line Gaussian Virtual Plume calculates
  the path based on user defined meteorological
  conditions

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User Defined Plume Path
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Calculating Deposition

• Virtual Plumes is capable of calculating
  deposition from a plume but will not display it
  on the map
• The user can draw deposition areas that can be
  seen on the map and assign predetermined dose
  rates to each one
• Either method will provide data from Virtual
  Plumes through the TCP/IP interface or Instrument
  interface.

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Predetermined Deposition
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Straight Line Gaussian
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Key Plume Dose Rate

• Value used to initiate indication that a release
  is in progress
• Threshold value where centerline indicator turns
  from green (no release) to red (release)
• Does not have any influence on calculation of
  field measurements
• Default values are fine!

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Default Instrument Set

• Sets the default instrument set for the scenario.
• All instrument sets are available for the default
  setting
• Can be modified by the user when starting the
  scenario or while the scenario is running

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Correction Factors

• Used to adjust Plume Dose Rates for predetermined
  distances
• User defines the percentages for whole body and
  thyroid at each distance
• VP uses the calculated value and applies the
  correction factor defined by the user ()

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Correction Factor
Dose Rate
Distance
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Correction Factor
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Dimensions

• Used to disable GPS altitude
• Normally not disabled

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Customization

• Allows limited customization by program
  administrators (typically allowed by scenario
  developer)
• GPS Units
• Instrument Sets
• Pin Sets
• Dosimeters
• Does not allow administrators to change scenario
  data

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Map Overlays

• Allows customization of what is displayed on the
  maps
• Airports
• City and County Names
• Political Boundary Shading
• Highways
• No effect on data calculations
• Set it to your personal preferences then leave it
  alone

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Evacuation areas

• Makes predetermined evacuation zones available
  for display while running the scenario
• Previously created by the user
• Feature added mostly for printed maps

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Scenario Data

• Three pieces of data required to create a
  scenario
• Meteorological
• Radiological
• Timeline
• Specific times and dates for the exercise are not
  required to develop the scenario
• Data is entered in time increments so scenarios
  can be reused many, many times.

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Meteorological
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Radiological
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Completing the Scenario

• Associate Pin Sets
• Save the scenario
• Calculate the scenario
• Test/Evaluate the Scenario

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Evaluation Data Tables
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Scenario Evaluation

• Allows developer to review centerline airborne
  concentrations and dose rates in the evaluation
  mode.
• Scenario is run at an accelerated speed during
  evaluation
• Simultaneously evaluate wind direction changes
• Allows developer to capture maps for drill
  manuals.

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Printing Scenario Materials
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Printing Options

• Many reports available
• Many options associated with each report
• Output in
• Print
• Excel
• Word
• Access Database
• Report outputs can be customized

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Scenario Security

• Security
• Is the scenario tamper proof?
• Files encrypted
• Unreadable
• Scenario Timeline, meteorological and
  radiological data can only be modified by the
  drill developer on the computer used for
  development

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Scenario Distribution

• Electronically send the calculated file to end
  users
• Users copy file into their VP scenarios directory
• The file is plug and play

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Running the Scenario

• Open the file
• What you need to start
• Scenario start date and time
• GPS Device (not required)
• Instrument set
• Interface testing (not required)
• Start
• Sit back and relax (if you are using GPS and
  instruments)

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Control Panel
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Field Data Tab

• Location
• Meteorological Data
• Radiological Data
• Dosimeter Readings

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Field Data Tab
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Additional Data Tabs

• Scenario general scenario data
• Historical recall marked data points
• Sample allows user to change instrument sets or
  sample criteria
• Pins displays a listing of the available pin
  data

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Scenario Data Tab
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Historical Data Tab
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Sample Data Tab
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Pin Data Tab
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Pin Data Display Screen
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System Vulnerabilities

• GPS malfunctions Point and click
• Instrument Interface Malfunction Controller
  provided data
• Computer Crash Single Point Failure
• Option 1 Paper backup (very difficult)
• Option 2 Take team out of play
• Option 3 Dispatch a back up computer (if
  practical)

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Scenario Replay

• Two Scenario Replay Modes
• Single Team Replay
• Immediately available for debriefing teams
• Multiple Team Replay
• Needs to be compiled on a single computer for
  later evaluation

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Scenario Replay

• VP captures all the data calculated based on team
  position throughout the scenario
• Historical record of field team movements and
  data
• Allows training team to evaluate command and
  control functions, sampling plan and data
  collection
• Allows team members to see their relative
  position to the plume

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State of NJ Lessons Learned

• Field team members are more confident in their
  abilities to collect and assess radiological data
• Assessment center personnel no longer have an
  unrealistic expectation for perfect data.
• Whats close enough?
• Players perspective
• Controllers perspective
• Better questions and experiences shared during
  training sessions
• So many years of negative training, players are
  unwilling to believe real data. Difficult to
  overcome mindsets.

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Changes to drill preparation

• Different drill preparation processes
• Controllers need additional training
• Licensees need to provide scenarios in Virtual
  Plumes format
• Single point failure if field team computer fails
  (paper backup)