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Hemispheric dispersion of radioactive plume laced with fission nuclides from the Fukushima nuclear event

Hsu, Shih-Chieh; Huh, Chih-An; Chan, Chuen-Yu; Lin, Shuen-Hsin; Lin, Fei-Jan; Liu, Shaw Chen

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Authors

Shih-Chieh Hsu

Chih-An Huh

Chuen-Yu Chan

Shuen-Hsin Lin

Fei-Jan Lin

Shaw Chen Liu



Abstract

Radioactivities of particulate 131I and 137Cs released from the Fukushima nuclear accident were monitored in a regional aerosol network including two high mountain sites (central Taiwan and Tibetan Plateau). The results were integrated with data measured elsewhere around the world, with special focus on the mid-latitudes. The hemispheric transport of the Fukushima radiation clouds (FRCs) by the westerlies took $18 days, displaying an exponential-like decrease eastward, with a dilution factor of at least five orders of magnitude following a full circuit around the globe. The initial two waves of FRCs may travel at different atitudes: the first one at $3–4 km, whereas the second one up to 5 km or more. 131I and 137Cs were fractionated during transport, with 137Cs concentrated in the shallower layer, susceptible to depositional removal, while 131I moving faster and higher. This accident may be exemplified to identify some atmospheric processes on the hemispheric scale.

Citation

Hsu, S., Huh, C., Chan, C., Lin, S., Lin, F., & Liu, S. C. (2012). Hemispheric dispersion of radioactive plume laced with fission nuclides from the Fukushima nuclear event. Geophysical Research Letters, 39(7), https://doi.org/10.1029/2011GL049986

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Dec 9, 2011
Publication Date Jan 12, 2012
Deposit Date Nov 27, 2017
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Geophysical Research Letters
Print ISSN 0094-8276
Electronic ISSN 0094-8276
Publisher American Geophysical Union
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 39
Issue 7
DOI https://doi.org/10.1029/2011GL049986
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/709095
Publisher URL https://doi.org/10.1029/2011GL049986
Additional Information Copyright @ AGU.

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