Course in Atmospheric Radiological Dispersion Simulation
Online 300 h course in atmospheric radiological dispersion simulation. 6 modules aligned with IAEA GSR Part 7 (emergency preparedness and response), IAEA GSG-2 (criteria for nuclear or radiological emergencies) and HYSPLIT. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Course in Atmospheric Radiological Dispersion Simulation — studying from South Africa
South Africa is one of the few African countries with an operating nuclear power programme, centred on the Koeberg power station near Cape Town, operated by Eskom. The country also has nuclear research and fuel cycle activity through the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation, known as Necsa, based at Pelindaba near Pretoria. Nuclear engineers work on reactor operation, safety, fuel management and decommissioning. The National Nuclear Regulator is the independent authority that licenses and oversees nuclear activities.
Fees for South Africa: R 10 200 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Will a SEIUM qualification be recognised by the professional bodies in South Africa for this area?
SEIUM qualifications are private and not accredited by any South African body, so they are not official state degrees. Nuclear activities in South Africa are regulated by the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR), and professional registration runs through ECSA. Acceptance of a private qualification in this regulated field rests with employers or the relevant authority, so verify before enrolling.
How might this qualification be used by employers in South Africa in nuclear engineering?
Nuclear employers, including Eskom and specialist contractors, typically require formally recognised qualifications, security clearances and regulatory competence. A private SEIUM qualification may add background knowledge but is unlikely to meet formal requirements on its own. Discuss this with employers in the nuclear sector to understand how they would view it.
Can I study this programme alongside full-time work from South Africa, and is there a time zone or language issue?
The programme is fully online and taught in English, so you can study from South Africa without a student visa. Master's programmes require 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, with an assigned technical tutor. Fees can be paid in instalments and employer sponsorship is possible. Ask SEIUM about time-zone and workload details before enrolling.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Explain the processes of atmospheric transport and dispersion.
Apply Gaussian and Lagrangian models to radiological releases.
Interpret meteorological and atmospheric stability data.
Estimate doses to the population from inhalation and deposition.
Compare decision-support tools for emergencies.
Apply the IAEA's generic criteria for protective action.
Produce a dispersion study for an academic scenario.
Who it's for
- Dispersion specialist who wants to specialise in Atmospheric Radiological Dispersion Simulation.
- Radiological emergency technician who wants to specialise in Atmospheric Radiological Dispersion Simulation.
- Radiological consequence analyst who wants to specialise in Atmospheric Radiological Dispersion Simulation.
- Applied meteorologist who wants to specialise in Atmospheric Radiological Dispersion Simulation.
- Civil protection technician who wants to specialise in Atmospheric Radiological Dispersion Simulation.
- Nuclear safety engineer who wants to specialise in Atmospheric Radiological Dispersion Simulation.
- Graduates in engineering or science seeking to enter civil protection.
What you'll work with
- IAEA GSR Part 7 (emergency preparedness and response)
- IAEA GSG-2 (criteria for nuclear or radiological emergencies)
- NRC Regulatory Guide 1.145 (atmospheric dispersion models for accidents)
- NRC Regulatory Guide 1.111 (dispersion of routine effluents)
- Directive 2013/59/Euratom (basic safety standards)
- Basic Nuclear Emergency Plan (PLABEN)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Atmospheric boundary layer1.2Stability and Pasquill-Gifford classes1.3Wind profiles and roughness1.4Turbulence and diffusion1.5Thermal inversions1.6Site meteorological data1.7Meteorological towers and SODAR1.8Reanalysis and numerical weather prediction1.9Dispersion climatology1.10Practical: stability classification with real data
2.1Core radioactive inventory2.2Release fractions by chemical group2.3Noble gases, iodine and caesium2.4Emission height and plume rise2.5Duration and temporal evolution of the release2.6Chernobyl and Fukushima source terms2.7NUREG-1465 as a reference2.8Effluents during normal operation2.9Uncertainty in the source term2.10Workshop: estimating a simplified source term
3.1Gaussian plume model3.2Briggs dispersion coefficients3.3Gaussian puff models3.4Lagrangian particle models3.5Eulerian transport models3.6Dispersion in complex terrain3.7Building effects and wake3.8Continental-scale dispersion3.9Comparison of approaches3.10Laboratory: Gaussian plume in Python
4.1Dry deposition and deposition velocities4.2Wet deposition and washout4.3Cloud immersion and ground shine4.4Inhalation and dose coefficients4.5Ingestion and the food chain4.6Resuspension4.7Effective dose and thyroid dose4.8Reference levels for protective actions4.9ICRP 72 dosimetric coefficients4.10Practical: dose calculation at 5 km from the site
5.1NRC's RASCAL5.2European JRODOS system5.3HYSPLIT and FLEXPART5.4MACCS for consequence assessment5.5Alert and radiological monitoring networks5.6Assimilation of measured data5.7Inverse estimation of the source term5.8International intercomparison exercises5.9Validation with the ETEX experiment5.10Case study: reconstructing the Fukushima plume with FLEXPART
6.1Definition of the scenario and site6.2Meteorological characterisation6.3Establishing the source term6.4Configuring the dispersion model6.5Calculation of concentrations and deposition6.6Dose estimation6.7Delimitation of response zones6.8Sensitivity analysis6.9Report and presentation6.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and a assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetable: students progress at their own pace within the enrolment window, which makes it possible to combine with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is HYSPLIT, JRODOS, RASCAL, FLEXPART, QGIS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures for simulating emission scenarios, analysing meteorological data and emergency planning exercises. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Explain the processes of atmospheric transport and dispersion.
Apply Gaussian and Lagrangian models to radiological releases.
Interpret meteorological and atmospheric stability data.
Estimate doses to the population from inhalation and deposition.
Compare decision-support tools for emergencies.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient level of Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
You will work with HYSPLIT, JRODOS, RASCAL, FLEXPART, QGIS. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma upon passing continuous assessment and the integrative project. This is in-house training, not an official title from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised towards the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when enrolling.
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