ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION FROM OBSERVATIONS OF SODIUM 22 AND OTHER SHORT- LIVED NATURAL RADIOACTIVITIES

Journal Article · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1963 · Journal of Geophysical Research (U.S.)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JZ068i007p01959· OSTI ID:4734419

Bhandari, N; Rama,

The radioactivities of the cosmic-ray-produced nuclides Be/sup 7/, S/sup 35/, and Na/sup 23/ are measured in samples of dust filtered at a number of points in the atmosphere. It is found that the short-lived activities of Be/sup 7/ and S/sup 35/ are in approximate secular equilibrium with their local production at altitudes of 18 to 20 km. The degree of saturation exceeds 50 per cent of the equilibrium value even in regions just above the tropopause. The observed activities of the longer-lived isotope Na/sup 22/ are, however, found to be considerably undersaturated throughout the lower stratosphere (up to altitudes of about 20 km). The departure from the equilibrium values is found to be strongly altitude-dependent; in regions close to the tropopause the activities are observed to be an order of magnitude lower than those expected, whereas at altitudes of 18 to 20 km they reach about 50 per cent of the expected equilibrium values. These data clearly show that the measurements of natural activities whose half-lives are shorter than 3 months are not adequate by themselves for the study of the nature of transport and mixing in the stratosphere. Na/sup 22/ (half life = 2.6 years) is suited for the studies of stratospheric circulation, and studying it along with any of the short-lived isotopes, e.g., Be/sup 7/ or P/ sup 32/, should prove useful. The data are not extensive; nevertheless, they are sufficient to test the validity of certain important aspects of various models of circulations. (auth)

• Research Organization: Tate Inst. of Fundamental Research, Bombay
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-17-018302
• OSTI ID: 4734419
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research (U.S.), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research (U.S.) Vol. Vol: 68; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AIR
ATMOSPHERE
BERYLLIUM 7
COSMIC RADIATION
DISTRIBUTION
DUSTS
EFFICIENCY
FILTERS
GEOLOGY, MINERALOGY, AND METEOROLOGY
HALF-LIFE
MEASURED VALUES
MIXING
MOTION
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
PHOSPHORUS 32
RADIOACTIVITY
SAMPLING
SODIUM 21
SODIUM 23
STABILITY
STRATOSPHERE
SULFUR 35
TROPOPAUSE