Chapter 3.5 - Anthropogenic and natural radionuclides in the Mediterranean atmospheric system - IRSN - Institut de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire Accéder directement au contenu
Chapitre D'ouvrage Année : 2023

Chapter 3.5 - Anthropogenic and natural radionuclides in the Mediterranean atmospheric system

Résumé

To better understand the transport of pollutants and nutrients by atmospheric particles in the Mediterranean area, there is a need to use and develop independent geochemical tracers in order to determine particle origins and mechanisms of deposition and uplift. Radionuclides, either natural or anthropogenic, are specifically adequate for this issue. When released in the atmosphere, some of them are rapidly bound to submicronic aerosols, also carriers of atmospheric pollutants like heavy metals or S and N oxides. Here, we discuss the sources and sinks of artificial and natural radionuclides as tracers of atmospheric processes in the Mediterranean area. This region is highly sensitive to climate change, which will favor already marked featured processes encountered in this area: dust resuspension, wildfires, and biogenic emissions. Such processes play a major role in the Mediterranean aerosol features and can be tracked using radionuclide-labeled aerosols. Naturally occurring radionuclides such as 22Na and 7Be, which are produced in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere can also be used to track downdrafts and stratosphere-to-troposphere exchanges. Primordial radionuclides (uranium, thorium and their decay products) originating from the earth crust and mantle can enter the atmosphere as particles and their isotopic or activity ratios can help discriminate between source locations. Additionally, formerly deposited anthropogenic radionuclide-labelled aerosols whose deposition map are rather well known at large scale, can be re-emitted to the atmosphere by soil particle resuspension on a regular basis at short scale and at large scale during (i) paroxystic dust resuspension outbreaks, (ii) wildfires and biomass burning, especially during droughts periods, and (iii) seasonal biogenic emissions (pollens).

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Dates et versions

irsn-04255880 , version 1 (24-10-2023)

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Copyright (Tous droits réservés)

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Citer

Olivier Masson, Gael Leroux, Laurent Pourcelot. Chapter 3.5 - Anthropogenic and natural radionuclides in the Mediterranean atmospheric system. François Dulac, Stéphane Sauvage, Eric Hamonou. Atmospheric Chemistry in the Mediterranean Region, Volume 1- Background Information and Pollutant Distribution, Springer Cham, pp.391-410, 2023, 978-3-031-12740-3. ⟨10.1007/978-3-031-12741-0⟩. ⟨irsn-04255880⟩
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