Atmospheric and subsurface sources of stable and radioactive nuclides used for groundwater dating

Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Water Resources Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/93WR00543· OSTI ID:5475298

Lehmann, B E ^[1]; Davis, S N ^[2]; Fabryka-Martin, J T ^[3]

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1. Univ. of Bern (Switzerland)
2. Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States)
3. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)

Theoretical calculations together with a review of data from Sweden, Switzerland and Canada indicate that given sufficient isolation time and U and Th in the aquifer matrix, deep subsurface production of [sup 3]H, [sup 4]He, [sup 36]Cl, [sup 37]Ar, [sup 39]Ar, [sup 40]Ar, [sup 85]Kr, [sup 129]I, and [sup 222]Rn can overshadow the normal atmospheric component of these nuclides in recharging groundwater. Although direct evidence is lacking, calculations suggest that small but measurable subsurface production of [sup 3]H and [sup 14]C could also take place in aquifers having high U and Th concentrations. Some groundwater which has been recharged during the past 40 years will have [sup 3]H, [sup 3]He, [sup 36]Cl, [sup 85]Kr, and [sup 129]I concentrations which are dominantly anthropogenic. Dating methods with the least complications in interpretation appear to be [sup 3]H-[sup 3]He for postbomb waters and [sup 81]Kr for waters in the range of 5 [times] 10[sup 4] to 1 [times] 10[sup 6]. 103 refs., 3 figs., 4 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 5475298
• Journal Information: Water Resources Research; (United States), Vol. 29:7; ISSN 0043-1397
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
GROUND WATER
ISOTOPE DATING
RECHARGE
RADIOISOTOPES
LIFETIME
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
AQUIFERS
THORIUM
URANIUM
ACTINIDES
AGE ESTIMATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPES
METALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
WATER
540230* - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)