Argon-39, argon-37 and krypton-85 isotopes in Stripa ground waters

Journal Article · Tue Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(89)90303-7· OSTI ID:7171325

Loosli, H H; Lehmann, B E; Balderer, W ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Bern (Switzerland)

{sup 39}Ar, {sup 37}Ar and {sup 85}Kr activities in groundwater samples from three boreholes in the Stripa granite are compared with {sup 222}Rn activities and with data from a granitic groundwater in Switzerland. In situ production rates in bulk granite and in fracture filling minerals are calculated. The measured isotopes in groundwater have been produced by nuclear reactions in the rock matrix. It was reported earlier that a large fraction of the in situ produced {sup 222}Rn can escape to the water phase due to the unusual microscopic distribution of U which seems to be in close contact with the water phase. The same conclusion can be drawn for {sup 85}kr with escape factors between 5% and 25%. The {sup 39}Ar values in Stripa ground waters are the highest measured so far but consistent with the unusually high neutron-flux in Stripa as compared to granites with lower U- and Th-contents. The {sup 37}Ar concentrations appear to be quite high, but since it is the first time that this isotope has been identified in groundwater the basis for a comparison with different rock formations is still too small. It seems possible that calcite fracture fillings in Stripa have a major influence on the concentration of {sup 37}Ar in groundwater.

• OSTI ID: 7171325
• Journal Information: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA), Journal Name: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA) Vol. 53:8; ISSN GCACA; ISSN 0016-7037
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ARGON 37
ARGON 39
ARGON ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BOREHOLES
CAVITIES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
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DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISSOLUTION
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EUROPE
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GRANITES
GROUND WATER
HEAVY NUCLEI
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLOGY
IGNEOUS ROCKS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE RATIO
ISOTOPES
KRYPTON 85
KRYPTON ISOTOPES
LEACHING
LIGHT NUCLEI
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MICROSEC LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
MINERALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEI
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIC ROCKS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE MINERALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RADON 222
RADON ISOTOPES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
RISK ASSESSMENT
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SITE SELECTION
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WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER
WESTERN EUROPE
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES