Atmospheric transport of bomb-produced 36 Cl

• Published in: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms
• Main Authors: Synal, H.-A., Beer, J., Bonani, G., Suter, M., Wölfli, W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 1990
• Subjects: Arctic; Dye 3; Dye-3; ice core
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-583X(90)90462-4

36 Cl measurements have been made in an arctic ice core drilled near the Dye-3 site (65°11'N, 43°50'W). The samples analyzed cover the period between 1945 and 1985 with annual resolution. Due to the release of 36 Cl to the atmosphere from nuclear bomb tests, the data shown a peak in the late fifties with 36 Cl fallout rates about three orders of magnitude higher than expected from cosmic ray production. The time resolution is now precise enough to resolve the structure of the descending part of the fallout pattern. From the fallout rates obtained, a stratospheric residence time for bomb-produced 36 Cl could be derived. A detailed interpretation of the data is done with a four-box atmospheric transport model. The large and well-defined 36 Cl bomb pulse provides an excellent tracer for ground water studies.