Retrospective determination of fallout radionuclides and 236U/238U, 233U/236U and 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios on air filters from Vienna and Salzburg, Austria

G. Wallner (Corresponding author), H. Uguz, M. Kern, F. Jirsa, K. Hain

Publications: Contribution to journalArticlePeer Reviewed

Abstract

137Cs and 241Pu (via 241Am) concentrations were measured γ-spectrometrically on air filters from the early 1960s (mainly from 1964–66) from Vienna, Austria, and an alpine station in Salzburg, Austria. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) was used to determine 240Pu/239Pu, 236U/238U and 233U/236U atom ratios as well as 236U, 239Pu and 240Pu atom concentrations. The maximum 236U/238U atom ratio of these unique undisturbed global fallout samples was (1.19 ± 0.31) × 10−5 in spring 1964. The 233U/236U atom ratios were found within (0.15–0.49) × 10−2 and indicate that the weapons tests of the early 1960s can be excluded as 233U source. The 236U/239Pu atom ratios were calculated in the range of 0.22–0.48.

Original languageEnglish
Article number107030
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Environmental Radioactivity
Volume255
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2022

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

  • 104023 Environmental chemistry
  • 104020 Radiochemistry
  • 103039 Aerosol physics
  • 103037 Environmental physics

Keywords

  • U/U
  • Pu/Pu
  • Air filters
  • AMS
  • Bomb peak

Cite this