Analysis of Daily 210Pb Air Concentrations in Finland, 1967-1996

• Published in: Radiation Protection Dosimetry
• Main Authors: Paatero, J., Hatakka, J., Mattsson, R., Viisanen, Y.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press 1998
• Subjects: Article; Northern Finland
• Online Access: http://rpd.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/77/3/191; https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.rpd.a032310

Daily aerosol samples have been analysed for 210Pb by the Finnish Meteorological Institute since 1967. The arithmetic and geometric mean concentration values were respectively 282 and 208 �Bq.m-3 for southern Finland and 237 and 169 �Bq.m-3 for northern Finland. The daily concentration values were log-normally distributed. The seasonal variations generally follow the vertical mixing in the lower atmosphere, displaying high concentrations in winter with a low mixing height, and vice versa in summer. Usually the lowest 210Pb air concentrations are associated with westerly winds and the highest concentrations with easterly winds. In northern Finland, however, relatively high concentrations were unexpectedly measured during northwesterly winds. Some of these events were connected with high pressure areas over Scandinavia bringing air masses from the European continent. High winter concentrations were closely connected with a cold North Sea surface. No evident trends pertaining to possible climatic changes are discernible in this 30 year observation series.