Radioactive Cesium from the Chernobyl Accident in the Greenland Ice Sheet

Davidson, Cliff I.; Harrington, Jason; Stephenson, M.J.; Monaghan, Marc C.; Pudykiewicz, Janusz A.; Schell, W.R.

doi:10.1126/science.3603043

Cited by 38 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Radioactive fallout from the explosion and fire at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in April 1986 resulted in additional 137Cs input to some regions of the northern hemisphere. Sites in Alaska detected 137Cs in atmospheric particles in early May 1986 (data cited in Davidson et al, 1987).…”

Section: Cs Profilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Episodic deposition and 137Cs immobility in Skan Bay sediments: A ten-year 210Pb and 137Cs time series

1994

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Sugai, S.F., Alperin, M.J. and Reeburgh, W.S., 1994. Episodic deposition and 137Cs immobility in Skan Bay sediments: A ten-year 2X°pb and 13~Cs time series. In: M.I. Scranton (Editor), Variability in Anoxic Systems. Mar. Geol., A geochronology time series provides a powerful tool for elucidating sedimentary processes such as episodic deposition and diffusive mobility of particle-reactive constituents. Depth distributions of 21°Pb and 137Cs from Skan Bay, Alaska were determined for sediment cores collected in 1980, 1984, 1987, and 1990. Sediment X-radiographs reveal distinct layers indicating that sediments were not continuously mixed by bioturbation. However, the geochronology time series is inconsistent with an undisturbed, steady-state sediment column. Profiles from 1980Profiles from , 1984Profiles from , and 1990 reveal subsurface regions in which 21°pb activity is relatively constant. In addition, the depth of the primary 137Cs maximum (reflecting the 1963 peak in atmospheric bomb testing) does not increase in a regular fashion between 1980 and 1990. The 21°pb and 137Cs geochronologies can be reconciled by removing the effects of an instantaneous depositional event. The average 2X°pb sedimentation rate (corrected for episodic deposition) in cores that were collected over a ten year period (0.241 +0.006 g cm -2 yr-1) is in excellent agreement with the average 137Cs sedimentation rate (0.258 _+ 0.008 gcm-2 yr-1) calculated from three stratigraphic markers [peak fallout (1963), first appearance in the sediment record (1952), and the Chernobyl accident (1986)]. The mobility of bomb-derived 13VCs under in situ conditions was evaluated by a time-dependent numerical model applied to the 137Cs time series. The model indicates that bomb-derived cesium is immobile in Skan Bay sediments with a solid-liquid distribution coefficient (Kd) of/> 105 (ml g-1).

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Section: Cs Profilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Episodic deposition and 137Cs immobility in Skan Bay sediments: A ten-year 210Pb and 137Cs time series

1994

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“…These data are consistent with the observations of others who have investigated distribution of Chernobyl debris in North America. For example, Davidson et al (1987) determined that Chernobyl-derived radiocesium moved from the U.S.S.R. and Scandinavia over Greenland and into central Canada then spread to the east and west. Assuming that the debris entered Alaska from the east via Canada, deposition should decrease from eastern to western Alaska.…”

Section: Deposition Of Chernobyl-derived Radiocesium In Alaskamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Due to its relatively short physical half-life (2iA17 yr)3,all 134C~ was assumed to be Chernobyl-derived. The Cs/ Cs ratio for Chernobyl released radiocesium at the time of the accident, 26 April 1986, was taken to be equal to 2.5 (Watson, 1986;Davidson et al, 1987). A decay corrected ratio was calculated by correcting for physical decay of both isotopes from the time of accident to the time of sample assay.…”

Section: P)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Radiocesium in Subarctic and Arctic Alaska Following Chernobyl

Baskaran¹,

Kelley²,

Naidu³

et al. 1991

ARCTIC

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ABSTRACT. Radiocesium ('34Cs and '37Cs) concentrations were measured in soil, plant and wildlife samples from subarctic to arctic Alaska. Concentrations of 13'Cs ranged from below detectable or low levels in whale and fish samples to as high as 242 Bqkg in lichen. For all potential human food items, the radiocesium concentrations measured in this study were below accepted permissible levels for human consumption. Chemobyl-derived radiocesium concentrations ranged from below detectable or low levels in all arctic samples (soil, sediment, lichen, whale, fish and caribou) to 32 Bqkg in subarctic moss. Therefore the distribution and subsequent deposition of Chemobyl-derived radiocesium appears to be variable but decreasing significantly from the Subarctic (Fairbanks) to the Arctic. The present data support the suggestion that Chemobyl-derived debris arrived from westem Canada into central Alaska and subsequently moved to the north (arctic) and to the west, decreasing in the quantity deposited as the debris transversed the state.

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“…Gudiksen and Lange (1986) estimated the concentration distribution of radioactivity over Europe and the Northern Hemisphere by using a dispersion model and made a comparison, with some observated data. Davidson et al (1987) also made a similar calculation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Numerical Simulation of Global Scale Dispersion of Radioactive Pollutants from the Accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant

Kimura¹,

Yoshikawa²

1988

Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan

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In April 1986, large amount of radioactive pollutant was emitted into the atmosphere by the nuclear accident at Chernobyl, and dispersed around the world. Numerical simulation of the global scale dispersion of the radioactive pollutant was carried out by using the operational meteorological model of the Japan Meteorological Agency. Calculated concentrations in many places over the world agree well with those observed. The numerical model showed that the radioactivity reached Japan about seven days after the accident with the maximum concentration of about 10 pCi/m3, in agreement with observations.

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Radioactive Cesium from the Chernobyl Accident in the Greenland Ice Sheet

Cited by 38 publications

References 10 publications

Episodic deposition and 137Cs immobility in Skan Bay sediments: A ten-year 210Pb and 137Cs time series

Episodic deposition and 137Cs immobility in Skan Bay sediments: A ten-year 210Pb and 137Cs time series

Environmental Radiocesium in Subarctic and Arctic Alaska Following Chernobyl

Numerical Simulation of Global Scale Dispersion of Radioactive Pollutants from the Accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant

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