Characteristics of 137Cs deposition in steppe area

Soil wind erosion in the semiarid steppe area was studied using the 137Cs tracing technique. Comparisons of 137Cs deposition characteristics between different soil profiles indicated that slight aeolian activities occurred on sandy grasslands and semi-fixed dunes with erosion/deposition rates of less than 0.108 cm/a, whereas they were intense on semi-shifting dunes with erosion/deposition rates of higher than 1.35 cm/a.     

Preliminary results of the study on wind erosion in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau using137Cs technique

The worldwide fallout of caesium-137 (¹³⁷Cs) associated with the nuclear weapon tests during the 1950s and 1960s has provided a valuable man-made tracer for studies of soil erosion and sediment delivery. But relatively few researchers have used it to estimate wind erosion. In this note, the¹³⁷Cs technique is introduced into the studies of wind erosion and its modern processes in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Two¹³⁷Cs reference inventories of 982.11 and 2 376.04 Bq · m⁻² were established preminarily, distributed in the south and middle-north parts of the studied area respectively. By analyzing the patterns of¹³⁷Cs depth profiles from sampling sites, the aeolian processes of erosion and deposition in nearly 40 years have been revealed, i.e. the shrub coppice dunes (S1) and semi-fixed dunefields (S3) experienced the alternation of erosion and deposition, while the grasslands (S4, S6 and S7) and dry farmlands (S5) suffered erosion only. By using¹³⁷Cs model, the average wind erosion rates for shrub coppice dune (S1), semi-fixed dune fields (S3), dry farmlands (S5) and grasslands (S4, S6 and S7) were estimated to be 84.14, 69.43, 30.68 and 21.84 t · ha¹ · a⁻¹ respectively, averaging 47.59 t · ha⁻¹ · a⁻¹ for the whole plateau, which can be regarded as of the medium erosion standard. These results derived from Cs for the first time have significant implications for the further research of wind erosion and desertification control in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.     

137Cs tracing of lacustrine sediments in the Dalian Lake, Qinghai Province, China

Based upon the analysis of Cs and grain-size parameters, the total amounts of ¹³⁷Cs deposition by wind and water in the Dalian Lake of Gonghe Basin, Qinghai Province are defined. The vertical profile of ¹³⁷Cs in the lacustrine sediments exhibits three ¹³⁷Cs activity maxima and one minimum. The major maximum corresponds to the global ¹³⁷Cs fallout in 1963; the two secondary maxima correspond to the leakage of the Chernobyl reactor in 1986 and complete desiccation of the lake in 1994, respectively. The minimum corresponds to aeolian deposition caused by extensive reclamation in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The 137Cs data set was used to evaluate average sedimentation rate of the Dalian Lake since 1963. The deposition was stable in 1963-1986 and 1994-1998, and it was rapid during 1986-1994. This preliminary study reveals that l37Cs has the same potential to trace environmental changes introduce by human interference in arid/semiarid regions as in humid regions.     

Estimation of wind erosion rates by using 137Cs tracing technique: A case study in Tariat-Xilin Gol transect, Mongolian Plateau

Wind erosion is one of the major environmental problems in semi-arid and arid regions. Here we established the Tariat-Xilin Gol transect from northwest to southeast across the Mongolian Plateau, and selected seven sampling sites along the transect. We then estimated the soil wind erosion rates by using the 137Cs tracing technique and examined their spatial dynamics. Our results showed that the 137Cs inventories of sampling sites ranged from 265.63=44.91 to 1279.54=166.53 Bq. m-2, and the wind erosion rates varied from 64.58 to 419.63 t. km-2. a-~ accordingly. In the Mongolia section of the transect （from Tariat to Sainshand）, the wind erosion rate increased gradually with vegetation type and climatic regimes; the wind erosion process was controlled by physical factors such as annual precipitation and vegetation coverage, etc., and the impact of human activities was negligible. While in the China section of the transect （Inner Mongolia）, the wind erosion rates of Xilin Hot and Zhengxiangbai Banner were thrice as much as those of Bayannur of Mongolia, although these three sites were all dominated by typical steppe. Besides the physical factors, higher population density and livestock carrying level should be responsible for the higher wind erosion rates in these two regions of Inner Mongolia.     

Using 137Cs tracing technique to estimate wind erosion rates in the typical steppe region,northern Mongolian Plateau

Wind erosion is one of the major factors of land degradation in the typical steppe region, northern Mongolian Plateau. Using ^137Cs tracing technique, we estimated the wind erosion rates of different pastures and abandoned farmland at Bayannur and Karakorum in Mongolia. The pastures and cutting grassland at Bayannur were slightly eroded by wind, with the rates of 64.58-169.07 t·km^-2.a^-1. The abandoned farmland in Karakorum, however, was strongly eroded by wind, with annual surface soil loss of 4.05 mm. a^-1, and wind erosion rates up to 6723.06 t· km^-2. a^-1. The total loss of surface soil due to wind erosion has been 17.4 cm since the cultivation of the steppe land in the 1960s. The wind ero- sion rate at the abandoned farmland was much higher than that at the typical steppe sites, showing that the cultivation led to serious wind erosion in the typical steppe region, northern Mongolian Plateau. By contrast, traditional livestock grazing resulted in less disturbance to the surface soil, and did not induce to devastating wind erosion, which plays an important role in maintaining the stability of the steppe ecosystem in the northern Mongolian Plateau.     

Preliminary results of the study on wind erosion in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau using 137Cs technique

The worldwide fallout of caesium-137 (137Cs) associated with the nuclear weapon tests during the 1950s and 1960s has provided a valuable man-made tracer for studies of soil erosion and sediment delivery. But relatively few researchers have used it to estimate wind erosion. In this note, the 137Cs technique is introduced into the studies of wind erosion and its modern processes in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Two 137Cs reference inventories of 982.11 and 2 376.04 Bq·m-2 were established preminarily, distributed in the south and middle-north parts of the studied area respectively. By analyzing the patterns of 137Cs depth profiles from sampling sites, the aeolian processes of erosion and deposition in nearly 40 years have been revealed, i.e. the shrub coppice dunes (S1) and semi-fixed dunefields (S3) experienced the alternation of erosion and deposition, while the grasslands (S4, S6 and S7) and dry farmlands (S5) suffered erosion only. By using 137Cs model, the average wind erosion rates for shrub coppice dune (S1), semi-fixed dune fields (S3), dry farmlands (S5) and grasslands (S4, S6 and S7) were estimated to be 84.14, 69.43, 30.68 and 21.84 t·ha-1·a-1 respectively, averaging 47.59 t·ha-1·a-1 for the whole plateau, which can be regarded as of the medium erosion standard. These results derived from 137Cs for the first time have significant implications for the further research of wind erosion and desertification control in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.     

Distribution characteristics of ^137Cs in wind-eroded soil profile and its use in estimating wind erosion modulus

~~Distribution characteristics of ~(137)Cs in wind-eroded soil profile and its use in estimating wind erosion modulus1.Tamura, T, Jacobs, D. G, Structural implications in cesium sorp-tion, Health Physics, 1960, 6(2): 391-398. 2.Rogowshi, A. S., Tamura, T, Movement of 137Cs by runoff, erosion and infiltration on the alluvial captina silt loam, Health Physics, 1965, 11(12): 1333-3340. 3.Owens, P. N., Walling, D. E., He, Q. P., The behaviour of bomb-derived caesium-137 fallout in …     

Impacts of the Fukushima nuclear accident on the China Seas: Evaluation based on anthropogenic radionuclide 137Cs

In order to evaluate the impact of the Fukushima nuclear accident on the China Seas, seawater samples from the South China Sea (SCS), the East China Sea (ECS) and the Yellow Sea (YS) were collected in April–June 2011, and their ¹³⁷Cs activities were measured using low-background γ-spectrometry. ¹³⁷Cs activities in the study area ranged from 0.75±0.07 to 1.43±0.08 Bq m^?3 with an average of 1.12±0.08 Bq m^?3. ¹³⁷Cs activities initially increased from the nearshore to the inner shelf, and subsequently decreased from the inner shelf to the outer shelf. Vertical profiles showed higher ¹³⁷Cs activities at the surface but lower activities at depth in the ECS, suggesting atmospheric input of ¹³⁷Cs. As such, the distribution pattern of ¹³⁷Cs in the region was presumably determined by a combination of atmospheric deposition and subsequent mixing between different water masses including the coastal currents, the Yangtze River plume and the Taiwan Warm Currents. Based on the inventory of 93 Bq m^?2 and the atmospheric deposition flux of ¹³⁷Cs in the ECS of 32.2 mBq m^?2 d^?1 (5.4–42.9 mBq m^?2 d^?1) which we estimated, we derived the residence time of ¹³⁷Cs in the upper water column to be 66 d (45–95 d). We concluded that in terms of ¹³⁷Cs, the ECS was less impacted by the Fukushima accident as compared to the Chernobyl accident. The released amount of ¹³⁷Cs into the ECS from the Fukushima accident was minute.     

广西乐业天坑群中苔藓的放射性核素分析

为探究广西喀斯特地貌对放射性核素分布及当地环境放射性的影响,利用高纯锗探测器对广西喀斯特地区的大曹天坑和邓家坨天坑采集来的苔藓样品中⁷Be、⁴⁰K、²³⁸U、²³²Th、²²⁶Ra、²¹⁰Pb和¹³⁷Cs的放射性比活度进行测量与分析。结果表明：在苔藓植物中, ⁷Be的放射性比活度为202.3-698.8 Bq/kg [平均值：(430.7±169.7) Bq/kg,n=7];⁴⁰K为33.7-159.9 Bq/kg [平均值：(91.6±44.1) Bq/kg, n=7];²³⁸U为检测限(3.0 Bq/kg)至54.4 Bq/kg [平均值：(16.9±23.6) Bq/kg,n=7];²³²Th为1.2-42.5 Bq/kg [平均值：(14.7±15.9) Bq/kg, n=7];²²⁶Ra为0.7-48.4 Bq/kg [平均值：(16.9±20.3) Bq/kg,n=7];²¹⁰Pb为284.1-950.5 Bq/kg [平均值：(555.5±231.0) Bq/kg, n=7]; ¹³⁷Cs为检测限(0.1 Bq/kg)至2.3 Bq/kg [平均值：(1.1±0.9) Bq/kg,n=7]。对比后发现所有测得的数据均在正常范围内,表明天坑这一喀斯特地貌对放射性核素的分布并没有显著影响,该地区也不存在其他污染来源,同时为我国南方喀斯特地区大气示踪提供数据支撑。     

Soil erosion rates and characteristics of typical alpine meadow using <Superscript>137</Superscript>Cs technique in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Alpine meadow is the predominant ecosystem in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.The firm turf of alpine meadow formed by sub-surface anfractuous roots can be effective in conserving water and soil.Alpine meadow is a primary contributor to the Chinese Water Tower.For quantitative assess anti-erosion ability of alpine meadow,this paper selected three typical meadow slopes with>60% vegetation coverage to evaluate soil erosion rates using 137Cs.The results showed that(1)soil erosion intensity of typical alpine meadow was slight to light.Erosion rates were 464 t km–2 a–1 in Malong Village,415 t km–2 a–1 in Yeniugou Town and 875 t km–2 a–1 in Zhenqin Town respectively;(2)soil erosion rates were correlated negatively with vegetation coverage,and the relationship was clearer at the slope scale than plot scale;(3)the relationship between soil erosion and vegetation coverage showed that vegetation coverage was a predominant factor in retaining soil and water on slopes.With complete turf and high vegetation coverage, alpine meadow was of great significance for soil conservation and prevention of soil erosion.     

A study on responses of soil erosion and sediment yield to closing cultivation on sloping land in a small catchment using 137Cs technique in the Rolling Loess Plateau, China

By comparison of volumes and ¹³⁷Cs contents of the deposited sediments before and after 1993, changes of specific sediment yields and relative sediment contributions from the gully area and from the inter gully area after closing cultivation on the later area on a small catchment of Zhaojia Gully, in the Rolling Loess Plateau, are analyzed in this paper. Closing cultivation in a large scale has not resulted in decrease but increase of specific sediment yield of the catchment, in sharp decrease of the sediment yield and the relative sediment contribution of the inter-gully area, and in increase of the sediment yield and the contribution of the gully area, for a short term. The mean specific sediment yield of 29650 t km⁻² a⁻¹ of 1994–1996 in the catchment was 2.2 times the average value of 13413 t km⁻² a⁻¹ for a long term. The specific sediment yield of the inter-gully area decreased from the 14335 t km⁻² a⁻¹ in 1994 to 7034 t km⁻² a⁻¹ in 1995 and 3517 t km⁻² a⁻¹ in 1996, while the yield of the gully area varied between 44944 and 62136 t km⁻² a⁻¹ during the period of 1994–1996 which was much greater than the value of 21118 t km⁻² a⁻¹ before 1993. The relative sediment contribution from the inter-gully area decreased from 23% in 1994 to 15% in 1995 and 6% in 1996, while the contribution from the gully area increased from 77% in 1994 to 85% in 1995 and 94% in 1996. It is suggested that compacting of ploughed soils resulted in increasing of the erosion resistance but in decreasing of the precipitation infiltration, therefore, the soil erosion reduced but the runoff amount increased on the inter-gully area. Increase of delivering runoff from the inter-gully area to the gully area should result in activeness of gully erosion and mass movements, consequently, in increase of the total sediment yield from the catchment.     

^210Pbex depth distribution in soil and calibration models for assessment of soil erosion rates from ^210Pbex measurements

Throughout the past decade, the potential for using nuclear weapon-produced 137Cs ( half-life 30.2 a) fallout to quantify soil erosion rates on both cultivated and uncul- tivated lands for medium-term timescales (≈ 40 a) has been successfully demonstrated in a wide range of envi- ronments in different regions of the world[1—6]. Because in difficulties of distinguishing Chernobyl-derived compo- nent from total 137Cs input in many parts of Europe, and in measuring low activity samples of…     

Soil Erosion Spatial Distribution Character of Sloping Field in the Sichuan Hilly Basin： Taking a Cultivated Slope in Neijiang as Example

0IntroductionNeijiang City locates in the south of The SichuanHilly Basin.The Sichuan Hilly Basin is underlainby horizontally bedded Mesozoic mudstones,siltstonesand sandstones.Purple soils developed on these rapidlyweathering rocks are widely distributed across the basin.According to second state soil erosion surveys based onremote sensing,the soil erosion rates in local area aretypicallyinthe range of3000-5000t·km-2·a-1[1,2].Inthe Sichuan Hilly Basin,one sloping field may is com-pose…     

137 Cs在土壤中淋溶迁移的模拟试验

~(137)Cs作为示踪元素广泛应用于土壤侵蚀及泥沙沉积研究中,其在土壤中的稳定性是决定其能否用于示踪土壤沉积与侵蚀的前提条件.但也有学者对应用~(137)Cs示踪技术的重要假设提出质疑,认为被土壤颗粒吸附的~(137)Cs易解吸成Cs+离子,随水流失或被植物吸收.本文利用双层土柱模拟淋溶装置研究了~(137)Cs和土壤粒径组成在不同雨量条件下的淋失和垂直迁移特征.结果表明,在600~3 000mm降雨量内,土壤中~(137)Cs平均质量活度为10.9Bq·kg-1,略小于试验前的11.5Bq·kg~(-1),与雨量并无显著相关性,土壤中的~(137)Cs有向下垂直迁移现象,但并不显著;土壤中~(137)Cs质量活度与土壤中的黏粒含量有很好的正相关性,决定系数R2达到0.73;有待于增加模拟雨量,作进一步研究.     

基于137Cs示踪技术的土壤侵蚀研究进展

由于应用137Cs示踪技术能够提供土壤侵蚀与沉积信息，近年来137Cs示踪技术逐渐成为土壤侵蚀研究的重要方法．本文介绍了137Cs示踪法原理，回顾了其在土壤侵蚀中的研究应用，并对其优缺点进行评价．然后，总结了。137Cs示踪剂法土壤侵蚀模型，最后展望了其在土壤侵蚀研究中的前景．     

土壤侵蚀137Cs法研究进展

同位素1 37Cs示踪技术具有简单、快速、准确的优点 ,它已广泛应用于土壤侵蚀的研究中 .本文先简单概述了现代土壤侵蚀速率的研究方法 ,然后着重综述了1 37Cs法在土壤侵蚀研究中的应用及其研究进展 (主要集中在1 37Cs的空间分布、土壤侵蚀速率计算模型、土壤侵蚀量估算模型等方面 ) ,最后提出未来1 37Cs法在土壤侵蚀研究中的发展趋势     

广西北部湾河口及海湾沉积物中137Cs含量分析

【目的】了解广西北部湾河口及海湾沉积物中~(137)Cs的含量,为定量研究北部湾沿岸区域土壤侵蚀和堆积状况,以及评价防城港红沙核电站运行对周围环境的影响提供科学依据。【方法】在广西北部湾河口及海湾中采集32个沉积物样品,利用高纯锗γ谱仪测定样品中~(137)Cs的含量,并与周边的背景值进行比较。【结果】在河口、海湾的表层样中,~(137)Cs比活度较低,范围为0.10~5.94Bq/kg,平均值约为1.23Bq/kg。【结论】表层沉积物中,~(137)Cs含量相对陆地含量要低,主要原因可能是沉积物样品中含沙量大,~(137)Cs吸附量相对较少导致。同时,自然因素和人为活动对~(137)Cs在河口及海湾沉积物中的再分配起重要作用。     

Wet and dry deposition of Chernobyl releases

The passage of the Chernobyl plume over the United Kingdom in May 1986 led to the deposition of radionuclides on the ground by wet and dry deposition processes. Here we analyse rainfall during the passage of the plume and the published monitoring data obtained afterwards, and show that levels of deposited 137Cs can be closely related to rainfall intercepting the plume. 137Cs was present in the atmosphere mostly as particulate species with wet deposition mechanisms dominating. In contrast, 131I was present as particulate and vapour phase material, and reported levels on grass and in cow's milk show that both wet and dry deposition mechanisms were important. 131I on grass and in cow's milk therefore shows a different geographic pattern to 137Cs, and is not so closely related to rainfall. We have calculated washout factors for locations where there are data on deposition, rainfall and air concentrations during the passage of the Chernobyl plume. From these factors and interpolated concentrations in the atmosphere, the total deposition of 137Cs has been estimated at each of 4,000 rain gauge stations in the United Kingdom. The results are presented as deposition contours and have been compared with measurements in parts of the country. Estimates of the total deposition of 131I and 137Cs show that less than or equal to 1% of the estimated total releases from Chernobyl were deposited on the United Kingdom.     

Dating recent lake sediments using spheroidal carbonaceous particle （SCP）

Dating lake sediment using sedimentary event is the supplement and calibration to traditional dating by radionuclide such as ^210Pb and ^137Cs. Based on the change of spheroidal carbonaceous particle (SCP) concentration, the age sequence of lake sediments can be deduced. It is one of the dating methods using sedimentary event. SCP is formed from combustion of fossil fuel at high temperature up to1750℃ and at a rate of heating of approaching 104℃/s. It can be dispersed to several hundred kilometers away from its source and deposited with precipitation or dryly deposited, and kept in sediments. Compared with Cs or Pb, there is no evidence for SCP that it decays in lake sediments and is unremovable once stored except by physical disturbance because it is mainly composed of element carbon. Handy method to extract, identify and calculate has been developed. Although fossil fuel has been used early in China, combustion at high temperature started later since emergence of electricity generation. The productivity of SCP is positively related with the generated thermal power, which is reflected as the SCP concentration in lake sediments increases with the increase of generated thermal power. Therefore, reliable sediment markers from the start of the SCP record and the remarkable variation can be used for dating purpose. In China, electricity industry started from the 1950s, and rapid increase of generated power took place since 1978. Based on these time markers, SCP time sequences of lake sediment cores LH and LL-4 from Longgan Lake, the middle reach of the Yangtze River, have been established, which is comparable with the results from ^137Cs and ^210pb, and has eliminated the errors of dating using ^137Cs and ^210pb.     

浮动核电站放射性核素在海洋中迁移机理研究

为了研究放射性核素泄露到海洋中的迁移规律,针对浮动核电站在海上发生严重事故这一情况,提出了基于瞬时点源约瑟夫模型的改进核素迁移模型,考虑海洋中放射性核素衰变和浮动核电站移动这两个因素。并以核素~(137)Cs为例,研究核素~(137)Cs在发生核事故后在海洋中的迁移扩散机理。研究结果表明浮动核电站发生核事故后,放射性核素浓度的空间分布呈现椭圆形,且沿着船舶运动轨迹方向的放射性核素浓度比其垂直方向上的浓度高,并向四周递减扩散。改进的核素迁移模型可为海洋应急监测工作提供参考,实现对浮动核电站核事故发生后应急监测的研究。