Radiocarbon in the Air of Central Europe: Long-Term Investigations

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Regional levels of radiocarbon have been monitored in order to investigate the impact of fossil fuel combustion on the activity of atmospheric 14 CO 2 in central Europe. Data from atmospheric 14 CO 2 monitoring stations in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary for the period 2000-2008 are presented and discussed. The Prague and Bratislava monitoring stations showed a distinct local Suess effect when compared to the Jungfraujoch clean-air monitoring station. However, during the summer period, statistically insignificant differences were observed between the low-altitude stations and the highmountain Jungfraujoch station. 14 C data from the Hungarian monitoring locality at Dunaföldvár and the Czech monitoring station at Koöetice, which are not strongly affected by local fossil CO 2 sources, indicate similar grouping and amplitudes, typical for a regional Suess effect.

Estimation of Long-Term Trends in the Tropospheric 14CO2 Activity Concentration

“…Sampling station locations are shown in Figure 1. The observed levels of atmospheric  14 CO 2 activity have already been reported (Svetlik et al 2006(Svetlik et al , 2010Molnár et al 2007).…”

“…Supposing a stable 14 C activity concentration in the atmosphere during 1992-2003 (Figure 4), the observed linear decrease of  14 C since the beginning of 1990s Svetlik et al 2010) may be explained primarily by a linear increase of the CO 2 flux from fossil carbon. Anthropogenic emissions from fossil fuel combustion are a probable source of such CO 2 , and have a prevailing influence on increasing CO 2 concentration in the atmosphere (IPCC 2007).…”

Radiocarbon in the Atmosphere of the Žlkovce Monitoring Station of the Bohunice NPP: 25 Years of Continuous Monthly Measurements

“…Up to 1994, the annual mean ∆ 14 C values were about 48‰ below the ∆ 14 C values in clean air. In recent years, however, the observed 14 C values are comparable with the levels observed at the Jungfraujoch station, as well as with the surface air measured at the Košetice station, Czech Republic (Svetlik et al 2010;Povinec et al 2015).…”

“…Several papers have been published studying 14 C releases from nuclear reactors, and their impact on the local and regional environments (Kunz 1985;Cimbák et al 1986;Obelić et al 1986;Povinec et al 1986aPovinec et al ,b, 2008Povinec et al , 2009Povinec et al , 2012Povinec et al , 2015Levin et al 1988;Hertelendi et al 1989;Loosli and Oeschger 1989;Milton et al 1995;Stenström et al 1996Stenström et al , 1998Uchrin et al 1998;Roussel-Debet et al 2006;Svetlik et al 2007Svetlik et al , 2010Svetlik et al , 2012. In all these investigations, small but noticeable evidence has been found of the impact of NPPs on local/regional environments.…”

14C in Urban Secondary Carbonate Deposits: a New Tool for Environmental Study

“…A second aspect of our urban sites is the possible incorporation of old anthropogenic carbon (as particles or as reduced atmospheric 14 C) due to fossil carbon (gasoline/fuel/coal) burning. A local Suess effect, with urban atmospheric 14 C lower than “general” trends, has been reported in several industrial metropolises or regions (Awsiuk and Pazdur 1986; Quarta et al 2005; Rakowski et al 2010; Svetlik et al 2010) and could cause apparent DCP and DE increases when compared with clean-air 14 C curves. DCP is higher at Saint-Martin spring (Paris), than at the Versailles site.…”