Inventory of artificial tritium and its occurrence in atmospheric methane

Journal Article · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1963 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JZ068i013p03759· OSTI ID:6197381

Martell, E A

Consideration of the bomb-produced tritium inventory and features of the budget and distribution of tritium in atmospheric water vapor, hydrogen, and methane provides a basis for rejecting previous explanations for the incorporation of artificial tritium into atmospheric methane. It is concluded that tritiated hydrogen is produced in thermonuclear clouds by radiative dissociation of water under oxidizing conditions. The occurrence of tritiated methane is explained by tropospheric exchange of methane with tritiated hydrogen which has mixed downward from the stratosphere. Chemical and energy criteria for the exchange of methane and hydrogen in the lower atmosphere are discussed. High tritium concentration of formaldehyde from thunderstorm rains is predicted. The possibility of equilibrium isotope exchange between tritiated water and tritiated hydrogen in thermonuclear clouds and in the upper atmosphere is also noted.

• Research Organization: National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO
• OSTI ID: 6197381
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 68:13; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500300* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
ALKANES
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMISTRY
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
EXPLOSIONS
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
METHANE
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIOISOTOPES
STRATOSPHERE
TRITIUM
TROPOSPHERE
VAPORS
WATER VAPOR
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES