BERLIN — The U.N. nuclear agency said Friday that slightly elevated levels of radioactivity detected in northern Europe likely were related to a nuclear reactor that was either operating or undergoing maintenance, but it's still unclear where it is located. Estonia, Finland and Sweden last week measured higher-than-usual levels of ruthenium and caesium isotopes and detected some other artificial radionuclides. They said nothing on their territory had happened to explain their presence, as did more than 40 other countries that volunteered information to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The IAEA said the higher level of isotopes “is likely related to a nuclear reactor that is either operating or undergoing maintenance, when very low radioactive releases can occur.” It added in a statement that “the geographical origin of the release has not yet been determined.”The Vienna-based U.N. agency said it “ruled out that the release was related to the improper handling of a radioactive source.”

Source: International New York Times July 03, 2020 10:18 UTC