Evaluation of excess carbon 14 and strontium 90 data for suitability to test two-dimensional stratospheric models

Journal Article · Wed Dec 20 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JD094iD15p18485· OSTI ID:7245045

Johnston, H ^[1]

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1. Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley (US)

From reports by the Atomic Energy Commission concerning the atmsopheric distribution of radionucleides following the nuclear bomb tests of 1958--1959 and 1961--1962, excess carbon 14 data from the period 1959--1970 and strontium 90 data from 1963--1967 are reviewed for possible use as inert tracers to test two-dimensional stratospheric-tropospheric models. Contrary to some views expressed in the literature, it is concluded that the carbon 14 data are suitable to test (1) the altitude (at 4 latitudes) of the transition region between troposphere and stratosphere with respect to transport of an inert tracer, (2) some aspects of transport between the northern and southern hemispheres, (3) horizontal and vertical transport as the vertical profile between 4.5 and 33 km and at 31{degree}N evolves from a skewed Gaussian in 1963 to an almost stair-step profile in 1966, and (4) the long-term one-dimensional aspect of a two-dimensional model over the period 1966--1970. More tentatively, it is concluded that the strontium 90 data may be used as a model for the distribution and gross settling rate of the natural stratospheric aerosol layer between 15 and 25 km. Data from difficultly obtained laboratory reports and suggested initial conditions and boundary conditions are included as a microfiche supplement to this paper. {copyright} American Geophysical Union 1989

• OSTI ID: 7245045
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA) Vol. 94:D15; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540130* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AEROSOLS
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBON 14
CARBON ISOTOPES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMISTRY
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EXPLOSIONS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MASS TRANSFER
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SOLS
STRATOSPHERE
STRONTIUM 90
STRONTIUM ISOTOPES
TROPOSPHERE
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES