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Applications of PB-210/RA-226 and PO-210/PB-210 disequilibria in the study of marine geochemical processes

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7145091· OSTI ID:7145091
The distribution of /sup 210/Pb and /sup 210/Po in dissolved (less than 0.4 micron) and particulate (greater than 0.4 micron) phases was measured at ten stations in the tropical and eastern North Atlantic and at two stations in the Pacific. Both radionuclides occur principally in the dissolved phase. Unsupported /sup 210/Pb activities, maintained by flux from the atmosphere, were present in the surface mixed layer and penetrated into the thermocline to depths of about 500 m. Dissolved /sup 210/Po was ordinarily present in the mixed layer at less than equilibrium concentrations, suggesting rapid biological removal of this nuclide. Particulate matter was enriched in /sup 210/Po, with /sup 210/Po//sup 210/Pb activity ratios greater than 1.0, similar to those reported for phytoplankton. Box-model calculations yield a 2-y residence time for /sup 210/Pb and a 0.6-y residence time for /sup 210/Po in the mixed layer. These residence times are considerably longer than the time calculated for turnover of particles in the mixed layer (about 0.1 y). At depths of 100 to 300 m, /sup 210/Po maxima occurred and unsupported /sup 210/Po was frequently present. Calculations indicate that at least 50 percent of the /sup 210/Po removed from the mixed layer is re-cycled within the thermocline. Similar calculations for /sup 210/Pb suggest much lower re-cycling efficiencies.
Research Organization:
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Mass. (USA)
OSTI ID:
7145091
Report Number(s):
COO-3566-14; WHOI-76-8
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

520300* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1989)
520302 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- Aquatic Ecosystems & Food Chains-- (-1987)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CHEMISTRY
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DEPTH
DIFFUSION
DIMENSIONS
DISPERSIONS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FALLOUT
FALLOUT DEPOSITS
FLUIDS
GASES
GEOCHEMISTRY
HEAVY NUCLEI
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPES
LEAD 210
LEAD ISOTOPES
MIXING
MIXTURES
NUCLEI
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PACIFIC OCEAN
PARTICLES
PLANKTON
POLONIUM 210
POLONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIOISOTOPES
SAMPLING
SEAS
SEAWATER
SOLUTIONS
SURFACE AIR
SURFACE WATERS
WATER
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES