Radon daughter's radioactivity levels over the Arabian Sea as indicators of air mass mixing

Journal Article · Sun May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1977 · J. Appl. Meteorol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1977)016<0487:RDRLOT>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:7324145

Subramanian, S K; Rangarajan, C; Gopalakrishnan, S S; Eapen, C D

Measurements on radon daughter's activities over the Arabian Sea were carried out during the period 19 May to 9 July, 1973, under the joint Indo-USSR MONEX-73 project. The data were collected on board the ships of the Indian Navy cruising between 19--21degreeN within longitudes 60--73degreeE and the two USSR vessels Okean and Prilive cruising between latitudes 0--10degreeN and 10--18degreeN, respectively. The results show that there is a significant increase in radon daughter's activity at about 19--21degreeN, the average level being of the order of about 8pCi m/sup -3/ as compared to 1--2 pCi m/sup -3/ at lower latitudes. This is explained, on the basis of synoptic charts and available sounding data, as being due to the normal wind and pressure pattern prevailing during the monsoon months which results in the transport of continental air from Arabia and Pakistan and its mixing with the maritime monsoon air mass of Southern Hemispheric origin. The significant increase in radon activity on some days of the cruise was mainly due either to the existence of disturbances like depressions, cyclonic storms, etc., over the north Arabian sea, or to the passage of western disturbances at relatively lower latitudes (along approx.25degreeN) and their associated circulation patterns. These phenomena favor significant transport of continental air from the north and west. The mixing of this air mass with air masses of low radon concentrations results in increasing the average radon levels from 1 to 8pCi m/sup -3/.

• Research Organization: Regional Meteorological Centre, Colaba, Bombay-400005, India
• OSTI ID: 7324145
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Meteorol.; (United States), Vol. 16:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
METEOROLOGY
NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY
ARABIAN SEA
BISMUTH 214
LEAD 214
POLONIUM 218
RADON 222
TRACER TECHNIQUES
WIND
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BISMUTH ISOTOPES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
INDIAN OCEAN
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LEAD ISOTOPES
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
POLONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIOACTIVITY
RADIOISOTOPES
RADON ISOTOPES
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
500101* - Environment
Atmospheric- Basic Studies- Radiometric Techniques- (-1989)