Effect of deposit feeders on migration of137Cs in lake sediments

Illite clay particles with adsorbed¹³⁷Cs were added as a submillimeter layer to the surface of silt-clay sediments contained in rectangular Plexiglas cells stored in a temperature-regulated aquarium, in order to trace the effect of the oligochaete, Tubifex tubifex, and the amphipod, Pontoporeia hoyi, on mass redistribution near the sediment-water interface. A well-collimated NaI gamma detector scanned each sediment column (～10 cm deep) at daily or weekly intervals for six months, depicting the time evolution of radioactivity with and without added benthos. In a cell with tubificids (～5 × 10⁴ m^?2), which feed below 3 cm and defecate on surface sediments, the labeled layer was buried at a rate of 0.052 ± 0.007 cm/day (20°C). When labeled particles entered the feeding zone,¹³⁷Cs reappeared in surface sediments creating a bimodal activity profile. In time, the activity tended toward a uniform distribution over the upper 6 cm, decreasing exponentially below to undetectable levels by 9 cm. In a cell with amphipods (～1.6 × 10⁴ m^?2) uniform activity developed rapidly (～17 days) down to a well-defined depth (1.5 cm). The mixing of sediments by Pontoporeia is described by a simple quantitative model of eddy diffusive mixing of sediment solids. The value of the diffusion coefficient, 4.4 cm²/yr (7°C) was computed from a least squares fit of theoretical to observed profile broadening over time. In a cell without benthos, small but measurable migration of¹³⁷Cs indicated an effective molecular diffusion coefficient of 0.02 cm²/yr.     

241Pu and241Am in sediments from coastal basins off California and Mexico

In sediments deposited in the coastal basins off the western North American continent since the early 1960's, there is more²⁴¹Am activity than one would predict if its presence was solely due to the decay of²⁴¹Pu that was produced during the testing of weapons in 1961–1962 (taken as July 1, 1962 for calculations). This excess can be accounted for by the decay of²⁴¹Pu, if pre-1962 fallout (fallout from the pre-moratorium testing) has been continuously introduced into the recent sediments along with fallout from post-moratorium testing. This hypothesis is supported by the plutonium depth profiles which do not reflect direct fallout from the atmosphere, as characterized by two peaks corresponding to the two major weapons testing periods, but continuously increasing plutonium and americium concentrations from 1954 to 1974. Thus, the nuclides may be coming from a large reservoir that has accumulated and mixed fallout since 1952. Such a concentration gradient for all of the nuclides requires their immobilization in the sediment after deposition.     

210Pb和137Cs定年技术在湖泊沉积物中的应用与问题

湖泊沉积记录研究对了解流域侵蚀、揭示区域气候环境变化及人类活动影响、建立外生地球化学循环模式等均具有重要意义.放射性同位素~(210)Pb和~(137)Cs组合定年法是百年尺度湖泊沉积记录研究的首选方法,在过去几十年中得到了广泛应用,大力推动了湖泊沉积记录的高分辨率气候环境变化研究的开展.然而,如何理解和选择适用的计算模式来尽可能地提高定年准确度目前仍存在争议,这在一定程度上限制了该方法的应用.鉴于上述问题,本文基于本实验室近年来从青藏高原获取的若干支代表性湖芯的定年结果,从样品前处理、仪器及测试、数据分析及计算等全过程对~(210)Pb、~(137)Cs定年原理和方法进行了较为系统的阐述;在此基础上,提出了~(210)Pb定年样品封装原则,探讨了高纯锗γ谱仪在放射性活度测量中的影响因素,并建立了准确有效的比活度校正方法;明确指出了恒定初始浓度模式(constant initial concentration,CIC)可用于计算沉积物每层的年龄,而不是部分研究中认为的平均沉积速率,这对于深刻理解该定年模式并提供准确的定年结果具有重要的参考意义.同时,通过对比两种放射性核素的分布特征发现,相对于~(210)Pb而言,~(137)Cs更容易发生垂向迁移进而影响其时标准确性,这需引起研究者的充分重视,因此,当二者定年结果出现明显差异时,建议以~(210)Pb定年结果为准.     

青海湖表层底泥中放射性同位素137Cs的来源

青海湖是我国环境研究中的一个热点地区,近年来137Cs计年技术已在这一地区得到广泛的应用.已报道的青海湖沉积物中137Cs垂直分布曲线显示,剖面最表层0-1 cm泥沙的137Cs浓度约60 Bq/kg,大致为峰值浓度的2/3,远超过近年来大气沉降137Cs所应带来的沉积水平为查明青海湖表层底泥中放射性同位素137Cs的来源,深入理解湖泊沉积过程,本文对青海湖沉积剖面的137Cs面积活度与137Cs本底值、湖泊表层底泥的137Cs浓度与入湖河流洪水沉积泥沙开展了比对研究.结果表明核爆期间的大气直接沉降是青海湖东南湖湾表层沉积物中的137Cs主要来源,约占4/5,风沙和入湖径流河沙的间接输入的137Cs仅占1/5而最表层0-1 cm的沉积物中137Cs很可能主要来源于底泥扰动,在这样的情况下,利用沉积岩芯开展青海湖环境研究时,分辨率的选取需要慎重考虑这一因素.     

137Cs湖泊沉积年代学方法应用的局限——以Crawford湖为例

＾１３７Ｃｓ湖泊沉积年代学方法是测定现代湖泊沉积物沉积年代和沉积速率的重要同位素年代学方法之一。对加拿大Ｃｒａｗｆｏｒｄ湖采集的沉积孔柱内＾１３７Ｃｓ垂直分布的研究发现,该方法给出时的标有明显偏差。比较＾２１０Ｐｂ和纹层等年代方法的结果,其１９６３年时标蓄积峰值所在位置明显移向表层,而作为１９５４年时标的该核素出现蓄积的层位则远早于该年沉积物蓄积层位。研究还表明,孔柱中较高的间隙水含量、缺少足以吸     

137Cs和241Am在滇池、剑湖沉积孔柱中的蓄积分布及时标意义

自70年代以来,对湖泊沉积物中核试验散落核素的研究已成为研究现代湖泊沉积过程和沉积年代及沉积速率的一个重要方面,本文通过对分别采自云南省滇池、剑湖的两个沉积孔柱中~(137)Cs和~(241)Am蓄积分布的研究,测定了它们60、70年代以来的沉积速率分别是42.1和28.7mg/(cm~2·a)。研究发现,虽然~(241)Am的含量远低于~(137)Cs,但~(241)Am具有沉积后迁移能力较小,半衰期长等特点,因而随着时间的推移,在未来湖泊现代沉积作用的研究中将会显示出越来越重要的作用。     

230Th,226Ra and222Rn in abyssal sediments

A model that predicts the flux of²²²Rn out of deep-sea sediment is presented. The radon is ultimately generated by²³⁰Th which is stripped from the overlying water into the sediment. Data from many authors are compared with the model predictions. It is shown that the continental contribution of ionium is not significant, and that at low sedimentation rates, biological mixing and erosional processes strongly affect the surface concentration of the ionium. Two cores from areas of slow sediment accumulation, one from a manganese nodule region of the central Pacific and one from the Rio Grande Rise in the Atlantic were analyzed at closely spaced intervals for²³⁰Th,²²⁶Ra, and²¹⁰Pb. The Pacific core displayed evidence of biological mixing down to 12 cm and had a sedimentation rate of only 0.04 cm/kyr. The Atlantic core seemed to be mixed to 8 cm and had a sedimentation rate of 0.07 cm/kyr. Both cores had less total excess²³⁰Th than predicted.Radium sediment profiles are generated from the²³⁰Th model. Adsorbed, dissolved, and solid-phase radium is considered. According to the model, diffusional losses of radium are especially important at low sedimentation rates. Any particulate, or excess radium input is ignored in this model. The model fits the two analyzed cores if the fraction of total radium available for adsorption-desorption is about 0.5–0.7, and ifK, the distribution coefficient, is about 1000.Finally, the flux of radon out of the sediments is derived from the model-generated radium profiles. It is shown that the resulting standing crop of²²²Rn in the overlying water may be considered as an added constraint in budgeting²³⁰Th and²²⁶Ra in deep-sea sediments.     

Desorption of Ba and226Ra from river-borne sediments in the Hudson estuary

The pronounced desorption of Ba and²²⁶Ra from river-borne sediments in the Hudson estuary can be explained quantitatively by the drastic decrease in the distribution coefficients of both elements from a fresh to a salty water medium. The desorption in estuaries can augment, at least, the total global river fluxes of dissolved Ba and²²⁶Ra by one and nine times, respectively. The desorptive flux of²²⁶Ra from estuaries accounts for 17–43% of the total²²⁶Ra flux from coastal sediments. Two mass balance models depicting mixing and adsorption-desorption processes in estuaries are discussed.     

36Cl and53Mn in Antarctic meteorites and10Be-36Cl dating of Antarctic ice

Cosmic-ray-produced⁵³Mn (t_1/2 = 3.7 × 10⁶years) has been measured in twenty Antarctic meteorites by neutron activation analysis.³⁶Cl (t_1/2 = 3.0 × 10⁵years) has been measured in fourteen of these objects by tandem accelerator mass spectrometry. Cosmic ray exposure ages and terrestrial ages of the meteorites are calculated from these results and from rare gases.¹⁴C (t_1/2 = 5740years) and²⁶Al (t_1/2 = 7.2 × 10⁵years) data. The terrestrial ages range from 3 × 10⁴ to 5 × 10⁵ years. Many of the L3 Allan Hills chrondrites seem to be a single fall based on these results. In addition,¹⁰Be (t_1/2 = 1.6 × 10⁶years) and³⁶Cl have been measured in six Antarctic ice samples. The first measurements of¹⁰Be/³⁶Cl ratios in the ice core samples demonstrate a new dating method for ice.     

Estimation of soil erosion in the Xihanshui River Basin by using 137Cs technique

The Cesium-137 technique was used to estimate soil erosion in the Xihanshui River Basin.More than 100 samples were taken from 10 sites and 20 hillslopes with a 10cm diameter hand-operated core driller.Each sample was 60 cm long.The ¹³⁷Cs activity was analyzed by gamma spectrometry.The simplified mass balance model and the profile distribution model were used to calculate soil erosion and deposition rate.The local ¹³⁷Cs reference ranged from 1,600 to 2,402 Bq m^-2.The data shows an exponential decrease of mass concentration and amount with depth in an undisturbed soil profile.Soil erosion in the river basin is moderate or severe on cultivated land with annual erosion rates of 2,000-6,000 t km^-2yr^-1.In general,very severe or severe soil erosion occurred at the upper slope sections,moderate or severe soil erosion at the middle section,and moderate or slight soil erosion at the lower slope sections.On the slopes with natural vegetation,consisting of herbaceous and wood species,the erosion rate is much lower or not detectable.On the lower section of slopes with well-developed vegetation however,there was no soil loss,instead deposition occurred at a rate of more than 300 t km^-2 yr^-1.The slope gradient and vegetation cover affected soil erosion and deposition rates.In general,the rate of soil erosion was proportional to the slope gradient and inversely proportional to the degree of vegetative cover.     

Assessment of sediment yield in a small karst catchment by using 137Cs tracer technique

There is very thin soil layer in karst rocky desertification areas in Southwest China,sediment deposition and sediment yield in the karst area affects the development of vegetation greatly.In the present study,the ¹³⁷Cs technique was used to assess the rate of sediment deposition and sediment yield in a small karst catchment.The ¹³⁷Cs inventory within the depression varied between 800 m^-2 and 2,200 Bq m^-2,with the mean value of 1,500.1 Bq m^-2.The ¹³⁷Cs reference inventory at a nearby reference site was 805.9 Bq m^-2.It could be inferred to that sediment deposition had occurred in the catchment.The mean depth of sediments deposition in the depression was 6 cm and the deposition rate was approximately 0.13 cm yr^-1.The analysis of the topographic characteristics of the catchment revealed that the sediment deposition occurred mainly at the lower part of the small catchment.Although,there was a sinkhole in the depression,little sediment had drained out with runoff through the sinkhole,because the local people built ridges around the sinkholes for storing water.According to this,sediment yield rate in the small catchment was estimated to be approximately 19.25 to 27.5 t km^-2 yr^-1,and the extremely low sediment yield was maybe the main obstacle to vegetation restoration in karst rocky desertification areas.     

利用210Pb、137Cs和241Am计年法测算云南抚仙湖现代沉积速率

通过对云南抚仙湖沉积物柱芯样品的210Pb、137Cs和241Am测试表明,柱芯剖面上有明显的1963年和1986年137Cs蓄积峰,验证了1975年次级蓄积峰存在的可能性,这些峰形完好的蓄积峰对抚仙湖的现代沉积环境有明显的时标意义。利用137Cs计年法得到抚仙湖沉积物自1963年、1975年及1986年以来到2007年的平均沉积速率分别为0.063g/(cm2·a)、0.052g/(cm2·a)和0.039g/(cm2·a),说明了过去近五十年抚仙湖沉积速率整体上经历了一个由快到慢的过程。借助于241Am 的1963年蓄积峰可以提高137Cs计年的准确性。根据210PbCRS计年模式,计算出每个样品深度所对应的年代,与137Cs计年法比较存在一定的偏差,分析了两种计年方法存在差异性的原因。通过质量深度和年代分析,抚仙湖的沉积速率变化幅度比较大,表明抚仙湖近129年来的沉积环境不稳定,可能与相应历史时期的人类活动有密切的关系。     

226Ra and210Pb in the Weddell Sea

²²⁶Ra and²¹⁰Pb were measured in sections and profiles collected in the Weddell Sea during the International Weddell Sea Oceanographic Expedition in 1973. The results can be correlated with the circulation and mixing schemes deduced from hydrographic observations. Along the surface cyclonic gyre the Ra activities are fairly uniform at about 17 dpm/100 kg, quite similar to those of the Circumpolar surface water south of the Antarctic Convergence. The²¹⁰Pb activities in the northern flank of the gyre, probably influenced by the high²¹⁰Pb-bearing Circumpolar Deep Water in the north, are as high as 12 dpm/100 kg. At the central gyre and its southern flank, the surface water²¹⁰Pb activities are about 7 dpm/100 kg. The warmer surface water at the central gyre has a Ra activity of about 19 dpm/100 kg, slightly higher than the colder surface water at the flanks. Thus lower²¹⁰Pb/²²⁶Ra activity ratios are observed in the central gyre, and higher ratios in its flanks. Similar relationships between Ra and Pb are noted in the Weddell Sea Bottom Water (WSBW): lower Pb associated with higher Ra in the center; higher Pb with slightly lower Ra in the flanks.Vertical profiles along the cyclonic gyre show lower Ra and Pb activities in the southwestern Weddell Basin where lower temperature and lower silicate are observed. Similar to Ba, both Ra and Si are non-conservative in the Weddell Sea, with significant input from the bottom sediments and particulate dissolution during subsurface mixing.Each water mass or type in the Weddell Sea is well characterized by its Ra content, but not well by its Pb content. Ra and Si are crudely correlated with a slope of about 7 × 10^?4 dpm Ra per μmole of Si. The fact that the WSBW values fall on the slope suggests that the net input rate for Ra (corrected for the decay rate) is proportional to that of Si. The linear extrapolation to zero Si gives a Ra value of 13 dpm/100 kg. These relationships are quite similar to those observed in the Circumpolar waters.     

210Pb and226Ra distributions in the Circumpolar waters

²¹⁰Pb and²²⁶Ra profiles have been measured at five GEOSECS stations in the Circumpolar region. These profiles show that²²⁶Ra is quite uniformly distributed throughout the Circumpolar region, with slightly lower activities in surface waters, while²¹⁰Pb varies with depth as well as location or area. There is a subsurface²¹⁰Pb maximum which matches the oxygen minimum in depth and roughly correlates with the temperature and salinity maxima. This²¹⁰Pb maximum has its highest concentrations in the Atlantic sector and appears to originate near the South Sandwich Islands northeast of the Weddell Sea. Concentrations in this maximum decrease toward the Indian Ocean sector and then become fairly constant along the easterly Circumpolar Current.Relative to²²⁶Ra, the activity of²¹⁰Pb is deficient in the entire water column of the Circumpolar waters. The deficiency increases from the depth of the²¹⁰Pb maximum toward the bottom, and the²¹⁰Pb/²²⁶Ra activity ratio is lowest in the Antarctic Bottom Water, indicating a rapid removal of Pb by particulate scavenging in the bottom layer and/or a short mean residence time of the Antarctic Bottom Water in the Circumpolar region.²²⁶Ra is essentially linearly correlated with silica and barium in the Circumpolar waters. However, close examination of the vertical profiles reveals that Ba and Si are more variable than²²⁶Ra in this region.     

Cosmic-ray-produced36Cl and53Mn in Allan Hills-77 meteorites

Cosmic-ray-produced⁵³Mn (t_1/2 = 3.7 × 10⁶years) has been determined by neutron activation in nine Allan Hills-77 meteorites. Additionally,³⁶Cl (_1/2 = 3.0 × 10⁵years) has been measured in seven of these objects using tandem accelerator mass spectrometry. These results, along with¹⁴C (t_1/2 = 5740years) and²⁶Al (7.2 × 10⁵ years) concentrations determined elsewhere, yield terrestrial ages ranging from 0.1 × 10⁵ to 7 × 10⁵ years. Weathering was not found to result in⁵³Mn loss.     

Cosmogenic21Ne and22Ne depth profiles in chondrites

The production rate profiles of²¹Ne and²²Ne as a function of depth in meteoroids due to spallation by solar flare cosmic rays (SCR) and galactic cosmic rays (GCR) are calculated and their dependence on size and composition of meteoroids has been evaluated. The GCR production rate at a given depth increases with size for radii<25cm and then decreases whereas the²²Ne²¹Ne ratio (NeR) generally decreases with size and depth. The calculated GCR production rates and NeR are consistent with the measurements in several Chondrites. A plot of track production rate vs. NeR shows that some chondrites have NeR values smaller than those expected for their sizes. Thes obeervation suggestsat least a two-stage irradiation for such meteorites; the meteoroid exposure as a small body in the interplanetary space must have been preceded by exposure under deep shielding, possibly in its parent body.     

Fallout240Pu and239Pu in Atlantic marine samples

Mass spectrometric analyses of low levels of global fallout plutonium separated from Atlantic marine samples have differentiated fallout²³⁹Pu and²⁴⁰Pu in aquatic samples for the first time. The results show no single characteristic²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu ratio in marine samples; the observed range is from 0.11 to 0.24 on an atom basis. There are indications that differences exist in the chemical or physical form of plutonium from atmospheric fallout in Atlantic surface water and that selective concentration in surface organisms is occurring. No single²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu value is found in pelagic sediments collected from different depths and locations. Discounting sources other than fallout, our results show that the plutonium deposited at any given time since atmospheric testing began may have carried a unique²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu tag. This label may be extremely useful to trace fallout plutonium through biogeochemical cycles.     

Pu in coastal marine environments

Analysis of water samples from the New York Bight area and Narragansett Bay reveals that a small fraction of the total Pu (probably Pu (III + IV) species) is continuously removed to the sediments at a rate similar to that of the particle-reactive isotope²²⁸Th. A more “soluble” Pu species appears to be released at times from the sediments to the water column in these nearshore regions. Sediments in shallow areas of the New York Bight south of Rhode Island and Narragansett Bay have high Pu inventories and relatively deep penetration of this element, although the net sediment accumulation rate is generally low (<0.03 g/cm² yr). The high Pu inventories can be explained if both sediment resuspension and sediment mixing are assumed to be the major controlling factors for the effective transfer of Pu from the water column to the sediments. By simultaneous modelling of the depth distribution of three tracers which operate on vastly different time scales:²³⁴Th (half-life 24 days),²¹⁰Pb (half-life 22 years) and^239,240Pu (introduced into the environment during the past 30 years), bioturbation rates ranging from 4 to 32 cm²/yr in the surface mixed layer (5–10 cm thick) and from 0.3 to 2.5 cm²/yr in the layer below (up to 40 cm thick) and net sediment accumulation rates of approximately zero to 0.14 g/cm² yr were calculated for these areas.     

南极阿德雷岛湖泊沉积210Pb、137Cs定年及其环境意义

测试了南极阿德雷岛两个湖泊(Y2和G)沉积物的     

南极阿德雷岛湖泊沉积210Pb、137Cs定年及其环境意义

测试了南极阿德雷岛两个湖泊 (Y2和G)沉积物的2 10 Pb和137Cs比度 .根据2 10 Pb和137Cs比度垂向变化特征 ,采用CRS模式对G湖进行了定年 ,年龄跨度大约为 134± 43年 ,并据此计算了G湖的沉积速率 .近大约 10 0年来G湖呈增长变化的沉积速率以及沉积物2 10 Pb ,137Cs蓄积量和沉降通量远大于大气直接沉降 ,可能是温度升高引起该地区大量冰雪 (盖 )融水携带补充的结果 .