Distribution of bomb radiocarbon in the ocean

Journal Article · Sat Jul 20 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JC090iC04p06953· OSTI ID:5446973

Broecker, W S; Peng, T; Ostlund, G; Stuiver, M

Water column inventories are calculated for bomb radiocarbon at all the stations occupied during the GEOSECS and NORPAX expeditions and for the available TTO stations. The pattern of global inventories obtained in this way suggests that a sizable portion of the bomb radiocarbon that entered the Antarctic, the northern Pacific and the tropical ocean has been transported to the adjacent temperate zones. A strategy for utilizing these inventory anomalies as constraints on global ocean circulation models is presented. Essential to this strategy are the improvement of our knowledge of the pattern of wind speed over the ocean, the establishment of the wind speed dependence of the rate of gas exchange between the atmosphere and sea, and the continued mapping of the distribution of bomb-produced radiocarbon in the sea.

• Research Organization: Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York
• OSTI ID: 5446973
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 90:C10; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520301* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- Water-- (1987)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR-WATER INTERACTIONS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBON 14
CARBON ISOTOPES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EXPLOSIONS
FALLOUT
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MIXING
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
WIND
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES