¹²⁹I concentration in a high-mountain environment

Author(s)

Sarah Kamleitner, Johannes Lachner, Peter Steier, Stephan M. Weise, Sabine Kraushaar

Abstract

The environmental abundance of 129I has been significantly increased in the Nuclear Age starting from the 1950s. Tons of anthropogenic 129I have been discharged into the environment through anthropogenic nuclear activities. This fact allows the relative dating of spring water samples, where low concentrations of 129I indicate waters with no surface contact since the 50s. In this regard, the present study aims to identify the relative age of spring waters in the Kaunertal Valley in Western Austria. More than fifty water samples were derived from precipitation collectors, springs, and directly from the Gepatschferner glacier. Measurement results cover 129I concentrations ranging from 1 × 106 to 5 × 108 atoms per litre. The variability of six springs, which were tested in July and September, was found to be negligible given the associated measurement uncertainties. No altitudinal dependence was found along the topographic gradient. Significant differences between high 129I concentrations of precipitation and low 129I contents of glacier samples were found and are considered beneficial to ascribe spring waters to pre-nuclear (older than 1950) or modern times of formation. Additional tritium analyses of selected water samples partly support the usage of 129I for relative dating.

Organisation(s)

Department of Geography and Regional Research, Isotope Physics

External organisation(s)

Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung

Journal

Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research. Section B. Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms

Volume

456

Pages

193-202

No. of pages

10

ISSN

0168-583X

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2019.05.003

Publication date

10-2019

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

103013 Ion physics, 105303 Hydrogeology

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Instrumentation

Portal url

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/c05ed720-892c-4866-867f-42ac9eaa3fc8