Quintessa is pleased to announce that the latest version of AMBER has been released. AMBER 6.8 introduces the capability of using Software Licensing (SL) keys associated with a specific PC as an alternative to the existing Hardware Licensing (HL) keys (USB). Full details.

If you would like to renew your maintenance agreement or purchase AMBER, please contact us.

AMBER has been used in support of Nagra’s general licence application (RBG) for a deep geological repository for low- and intermediate-level waste (L/ILW), alpha-toxic waste (ATW) and high-level waste (HLW) in the Opalinus Clay in Nördlich Lägern, Switzerland.

AMBER is used as the calculation engine behind Nagra’s biosphere modelling code, SwiBAC (NAB 24-06). The SwiBAC code evaluates potential dose consequences associated with radionuclide releases in groundwater to the near-surface environment in the long term. The code has been developed by Quintessa to allow users to specify calculations to be made using Nagra’s reference biosphere model; the code then draws on template models and data library files to run calculations in AMBER. The results are then delivered back to the user, and the associated AMBER files are available to explore the calculations in-depth. SwiBAC was updated for the RBG application, including extension to explore different biosphere configurations and climate conditions.

AMBER has also been used in support of the RBG to evaluate potential dose consequences of hypothetical scenarios of repository excavation, involving erosive processes in the very far future (NAB 24-08). The SwiBAC models were extended to include the repository within the Opalinus Clay and to represent radionuclide releases through deep glacial erosion and hillslope erosion processes.

These assessments illustrate the flexibility that AMBER provides in applications supporting post-closure safety assessment and the safety case for radioactive waste disposal (NTB 24-10).

The following publications from 2024 and 2025 cite the use of AMBER.

• Hassanlou S, Taherian A, Farsani AM and Ganjaroodi SZ (2025). Post closure safety assessment for near surface disposal. Nuclear Engineering and Technology 57(4), 103291.
• Kansaana C, Sam F, Faanu A, Glover ET, Akrobortu E, Adofo EA, Annan RAT, Essel P, Adeti PJ and Owusu I (2025). Application of the scoping tool and AMBER model in radiological safety assessment of the barrier systems of the borehole disposal system for the disposal of disused sources in Ghana. Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 226, 112273.
• Gobien M, Boyer A, Briggs S, Medri C (2025). Integrated Systems Model (ISM) Theory Manual. NWMO-TR-2022-07 R002, March 2025.
• Garelina SA, Grigoryan GB, Zaharyan RA and Sedrakyan AM (2024). Dynamics of the concentration of gaseous radionuclides 14CO2 and 14CH4 released above the burial site of operational radioactive waste at nuclear power plants. Izvestiya vysshikh uchebnykh zavedenij. yadernaya ehnergetika, no.1, p. 107–118.

Quintessa is fully committed to the long-term development and support of AMBER, with on-going development and software updates. Developments planned for the future include improvements to the user interface and the development of further example case files for use by licence holders.

We very much welcome feedback about AMBER, including ideas and suggestions for further developments that would help maintain its utility and applicability to a wide range of contaminant transport and risk assessment situations. Please contact the AMBER team with any suggestions or requests. Similarly, to report a bug in AMBER, please email details to the AMBER team.

Quintessa continues to support AMBER, both through directed support to licence holders and by applying the software to safety and performance assessment studies of contaminants in the environment. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about AMBER, its application and/or about our associated support and training programme.