222Rn and 210Pb in the Arctic summer air
(1986) In Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 3(1). p.35-54- Abstract
As part of an extensive air chemistry programme, during summer 1980, on board the Swedish ice-breaker 'Ymer', levels of 222Rn (radon) and its long-lived daughters 210Pb and 210Po were measured. The radon was trapped on charcoal and the long-lived daugther products sampled on filters on a daily basis. In addition, short-lived progenies were followed continuously on the filters in order to achieve a time resolution of about one hour. The concentrations of radon and 210Pb in the Arctic summer air north of latitude 75° N averaged 75 ± 21 (1 sd) and 0·075 ± 0·028 mBqm-3, r respectively. During a two week period of persistent polar winds, the mean radon concentration was 19 ±5 mBq... (More)
As part of an extensive air chemistry programme, during summer 1980, on board the Swedish ice-breaker 'Ymer', levels of 222Rn (radon) and its long-lived daughters 210Pb and 210Po were measured. The radon was trapped on charcoal and the long-lived daugther products sampled on filters on a daily basis. In addition, short-lived progenies were followed continuously on the filters in order to achieve a time resolution of about one hour. The concentrations of radon and 210Pb in the Arctic summer air north of latitude 75° N averaged 75 ± 21 (1 sd) and 0·075 ± 0·028 mBqm-3, r respectively. During a two week period of persistent polar winds, the mean radon concentration was 19 ±5 mBq m-3. During such 'Arctic background' conditions, radon exhalation from the sea may contribute significantly to the measured radon-in-air concentration. It is shown that steady-state equilibrium models, applied to an air mass over the sea, overstimate the aerosol residence-time calculated from activity ratios. Time-dependent calculations indicate a mean aerosol residence time of 4 to 7 d in Arctic air. Good agreement is observed between radon levels and the time since the air mass left larger areas. Both the 222Rn and the long-lived daughter measurements are insensitive to contamination from ship and local settlement.
(Less)
- author
- Samuelsson, Christer LU ; Hallstadius, Lars ; Persson, Bertil LU ; Hedvall, Robert LU ; Holm, Elis LU and Forkman, Bengt LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 1986-01-01
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- in
- Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
- volume
- 3
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 20 pages
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:0022554343
- ISSN
- 0265-931X
- DOI
- 10.1016/0265-931X(86)90048-2
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- fe6f4ef7-dd39-4e9c-a8f1-916c83108391
- date added to LUP
- 2020-05-07 21:20:16
- date last changed
- 2021-01-03 06:49:07
@article{fe6f4ef7-dd39-4e9c-a8f1-916c83108391, abstract = {{<p>As part of an extensive air chemistry programme, during summer 1980, on board the Swedish ice-breaker 'Ymer', levels of <sup>222</sup>Rn (radon) and its long-lived daughters <sup>210</sup>Pb and <sup>210</sup>Po were measured. The radon was trapped on charcoal and the long-lived daugther products sampled on filters on a daily basis. In addition, short-lived progenies were followed continuously on the filters in order to achieve a time resolution of about one hour. The concentrations of radon and <sup>210</sup>Pb in the Arctic summer air north of latitude 75° N averaged 75 ± 21 (1 sd) and 0·075 ± 0·028 mBqm<sup>-3</sup>, r respectively. During a two week period of persistent polar winds, the mean radon concentration was 19 ±5 mBq m<sup>-3</sup>. During such 'Arctic background' conditions, radon exhalation from the sea may contribute significantly to the measured radon-in-air concentration. It is shown that steady-state equilibrium models, applied to an air mass over the sea, overstimate the aerosol residence-time calculated from activity ratios. Time-dependent calculations indicate a mean aerosol residence time of 4 to 7 d in Arctic air. Good agreement is observed between radon levels and the time since the air mass left larger areas. Both the <sup>222</sup>Rn and the long-lived daughter measurements are insensitive to contamination from ship and local settlement.</p>}}, author = {{Samuelsson, Christer and Hallstadius, Lars and Persson, Bertil and Hedvall, Robert and Holm, Elis and Forkman, Bengt}}, issn = {{0265-931X}}, language = {{eng}}, month = {{01}}, number = {{1}}, pages = {{35--54}}, publisher = {{Elsevier}}, series = {{Journal of Environmental Radioactivity}}, title = {{<sup>222</sup>Rn and <sup>210</sup>Pb in the Arctic summer air}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0265-931X(86)90048-2}}, doi = {{10.1016/0265-931X(86)90048-2}}, volume = {{3}}, year = {{1986}}, }