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The Integrated Measuring and Information System (IMIS)

  • BfS operates the Integrated Measuring and Information System for the Surveillance of Environmental Radioactivity (IMIS).
  • The measured data on environmental radioactivity collected on a legal basis in Germany are recorded, evaluated and presented at IMIS.
  • In the event of a nuclear accident, the measurement results and the calculated forecasts for radiation exposure provide the basis for decisions to protect the health of the population and the environment.

The task of the Integrated Measuring and Information System for the Surveillance of Environmental Radioactivity (IMIS) is to continuously monitor the environment in order to detect fast and reliably even small changes in environmental radioactivity over a wide area and to record long-term trends. More than 50 at federal agencies and on regional level in the states of Germany participate in the environmental monitoring program.

Continuously operating measuring networks are set up to monitor radioactivity on the ground, in the atmosphere, in the federal waterways and in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. These constantly provide current measurement data. In addition, each year more than 10,000 samples are taken from air, water, soil, food, fodder and other parts of the environment and measurements are performed in routine operations all over Germany.

Quick Assessment of the Radiological Situation

IMIS is designed primarily for the quick assessment of the radiological situation in an emergency situation. In order to enable the competent authorities to initiate measures for the protection of the public and the environment, IMIS has to provide three types of information in a fast and reliable manner:

  • Which areas are affected, and what level of contamination has to be assumed?
  • What radionuclides are involved?
  • What is the current and expected level of exposure to the public in the affected areas?

Organizational Structure

IMIS is built from several components that is closely interlinked and coordinated with each other. In the event of a radiological emergency, IMIS is used as a tool to perform the tasks of the Federal Radiological Situation Centre (RLZ). Three levels can be distinguished here:

  • Environmental contamination measurements and prognostic dose assessments;
  • Consolidation, evaluation, preparation and presentation of the results, which are used to create status reports as a product of the RLZ;
  • Forwarding these status reports to the RLZ head office at the Federal Environment Ministry (BMUV).

History and Scope of Application

History

Establishing IMIS: Consequence of nuclear disaster in Chornobyl (Russian: Chernobyl)

The 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster showed that the preparations for a large-scale contamination of the environment were not sufficient:

  • Measurements were not performed systematically and were not coordinated.
  • The dose assessments, as well as the data exchange of data via fax and telex, were time-consuming and difficult.
  • Results were displayed at best in the form of tables.
  • The creation of clear graphic presentation was complicated and therefore hardly done at all.

This contributed to the fact that different institutions came to varying assessment of the situation which led to considerable uncertainty among the public.

As a consequence of these experiences, the Precautionary Radiation Protection Act (StrVG) was adopted in 1986. It provided until 2017 the legal basis for the "Integrated Measuring and Information System for the Surveillance of Environmental Radioactivity" (IMIS). The relevant provisions of the StrVG were then integrated into the current Radiation Protection Act (StrlSchG).

Ambient dose rate (ODL)

Monitoring the ambient gamma dose rate

BfS operates a nationwide monitoring network for the large-scale determination of external radiation exposure by continuously measuring the ambient gamma dose rate (ODL). The ODL measuring network consists of 1,700 stationary, automatically operating across Germany.

The ODL measuring network functions as an important early warning system to promptly detect elevated levels of radioactive contamination in the air in Germany.

Natural radiation contributes to gamma dose rate

The ODL measuring network also records the natural radiation that people are permanently exposed to. The measured ambient dose rate covers the terrestrial radiation, caused by natural radionuclides occuring everywhere in the ground. These radionuclides are of potassium, uranium, thorium and their daughter nuclides, which are natural components of rock, soils and building materials. Therefore, even in routine operation measurement values are registered.

In addition, humans are exposed to natural radiation originating from space and reaching the Earth’s surface after it has been attenuated in the atmosphere (cosmic radiation).

The ambient dose rate is indicated in "microsievert per hour". In Germany, the natural ambient dose rate ranges from 0.05 to 0.18 microsievert per hour, depending on local conditions.

View current measurement values online

On the BfS website ODL-Info a map shows the ambient gamma dose rate (ODL) at the operational measuring points of the BfS ODL monitoring network. The current measured value is the last avaiable hourly mean value. The measured values are checked daily by experts for possible anomalies and errors due to broken probes. Then the data is transmitted to IMIS.

As well as further radioactivity data from the environment, ambient gamma dose rate data are available to the public on the BfS Geoportal.

Further information

Monitoring the ambient gamma dose rate

Emergency measuring strategies

Measuring the radiation exposure in an emergency situation

In the case of a radiological emergency, IMIS is set to "intensive operation mode" and an "intensive measurement program" is conducted to quickly asses the radiological situation over a wide area.

During the passage of a radioactive cloud: Monitoring networks

The most important tools in the phase during the passage of a radioactive cloud are the automatic measuring networks:

  • of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) to determine the external radiation exposure (ambient gamma dose rate, ODL) and
  • of the German Meteorological Service (DWD) to determine which measures the concentration of the different radionuclides in the air.

In case of an accident, the results of the ambient dose rate measurement results from approximately 1,700 probes are transmitted every ten minutes. In so doing the dispersion of a radioactive cloud be tracked in almost real time and the affected areas can be localized very quickly.

In parallel, the 48 measuring points of the German Meteorological Service’s (DWD) air monitoring network provide the activities of radioactive substances in the air every two hours.

The measurements performed by the ODL network and the DWD measuring points provide the basis to estimate the external radiation exposure and the dose received by inhaling radioactive substances. Both are evaluated for decisions on the protection of the population relevant in the early stage (such as the emergency measures concerning sheltering, stable iodine prophylaxis, evacuation).

After the passage of the radioactive cloud: Deposition on the ground

After the passage of the cloud, overview maps are created which show the contamination of the environment. These maps are used to optimize both, the measures for the protection of the polulation as well as the further radioactivity measurements.

Measurements of ODL and in-situ gamma spectrometry are primarily used to create overview maps, which help to analyse the extent of radionuclide deposition on the ground. For the detection of small-scale, inhomogeneous depositis, mobile units are available such as helicopters and measuring vehicles.

Measurement focus on agricultural products

After a radioactive cloud has passed a region, one main focus is on analysing the contamination of agricultural products.

If no emergency measures are taken in the region and thus sampling of agricultural products is permitted, the laboratories of the states will initially focus their measurements on representative environmental media which are leafy vegetables, milk and grass and afterward on harvest-ready products. These measurements will be intensified in areas where the available measurement values indicate increased activities and the maximum permitted levels of the European Union might be exceeded.

The intensive measuring program will gradually change back to the routine operation program depending on the specific situation.

Intensified measurements are further carried out in areas where increased activity concentrations can still occur (even with a time delay, such as in milk due to winter feeding with contaminated hay).

Laboratories

Measuring laboratories of the federal and state governments

IMIS receives data from a large number of federal and state laboratories.

BfS measurement laboratories

With its highly specialized laboratories, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) is able to determine radionuclides in virtually all media, such as water, air, soil and food.

The range of measurement tasks spans from emission monitoring of nuclear power plants and the monitoring of radioactive substances in the environment to the trace analysis of radioactive substances in the atmosphere with the aim of monitoring the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

Other Federal measurement laboratories

Other Federal institutions who contribute to measurements for IMIS are

Measurement laboratories of the federal states

About 40 specialised federal state laboratories determine the radioactivity concentration in various of different environmental media, such as drinking water or food and fodder. These measurements are based on standardised sampling and measurement procedures. In routine operation, roughly 10,000 samples are analysed per year.

Data are public

The data collected by the laboratories and forwarded to IMIS are publicly available on the BfS Geoportal.

Further information

Information and Documentation: Exchange of Data via IMIS

All measurement and prognosis results obtained from IMIS are collected, evalueted and presented in the form of tables, graphics and maps at the Federal Central Office (ZdB) at the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS). Specialist federal authorities, the so-called coordinating offices, check the data and evaluation results for plausibility.

IMIS links about 70 institutions (Federal authorities, state ministries and authorities, state measuring laboratories etc.) with several hundred trained IMIS-users who utilize IMIS web applications to work with central IMIS compenents.

For rapid and appropriate action, data and information need have to be available very fast and simultaneously to all decision-makers at the federal and state levels. For this purpose, the "Electronic Situation Display" (ELAN) was developed.

Electronic Situation Display (ELAN)

In ELAN, all information and results from IMIS relevant for the assessment of an incident, e. g. an incident in a nuclear power plant, are made available. This assures that all parties involved in the management of an emergency situation instantly have access to the same information and are able to act.

International Exchange of Information

On international level, a bilateral exchange of information and data wiht Switzerland, France, the Netherlands and Austria, also takes place via IMIS.

Furthermore, information on environmental radioactivity and radiation exposure due to nuclear accidents are distributed via data exchange platforms as

  • EURDEP of the European Union and
  • IRMIS of the IAEA with global partners.

Environmental Radioactivity and Radiation Exposure Reports

Annually, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) compiles the environmental radioactivity data measured and collected in Germany and presents them in reports that focus on different key aspects.

The results are annually summarised in the report "Environmental Radioactivity and Radiation Exposure".

Current data

Broschure (in German only)

Reports

Environmental measurements

State of 2024.09.10

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