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Lead 210 in surface air and soils from California: Implications for the behavior of trace constituents in the planetary boundary layer

Journal Article · · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)
Measurements are reported of /sup 210/Pb activities in aerosols collected during the winter of 1985--1986 at Davis, located in California's Central Valley, and of /sup 210/Pb and /sup 137/Cs inventories in soils collected from the nearby Sierra Nevada mountains and Sierra Nevada-Central Valley foothills. The results show that Centra Valley surface air /sup 210/Pb activities increase (up to 98 disintegrations per min (dpm) 1000 m/sup /minus/3/ STP) while high-pressure systems are stationed over the western United States. During these periods the processes that control /sup 210/Pb activities in the boundary layer are the emanation of /sup 222/Rn from soils and, most likely, the exchange of air between the Central Valley boundary layer and the free troposphere.
Research Organization:
Department of Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois(US)
OSTI ID:
5987535
Journal Information:
J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 94:D5; ISSN JGREA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English