New! 24 March 2013- Cesium-134 and 137 activities in the central North Paciﬁc Ocean after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident

J. Kameník – H. Dulaiova – K.O. Buesseler – S. M. Pike – K.Šťastná

http://www.scribd.com/doc/132046788/Cesium-134-and-137-activities-in-the-central-North-Pacific-Ocean-after-the-Fukushima-Dai-ichi-nuclear-power-plant

Conclusions

The data presented in this study provide some constrains on the south-eastern extent of radionuclides released from F1-NPP, and can be used for veriﬁcation of 137Cs dispersion models in the North Paciﬁc Ocean.

A visual comparison with published model simulation results indicates that our easternmost detection of 134 Cs from June 2012 (latitude 162◦W) is slightly north (Behrens et al., 2012) and east (Nakano and Povinec,2012) from the predicted areas.

The time series measurements at Station Aloha and in Honolulu conﬁrm model predictions by Behrens et al. (2012) that the radiation plume would not reach the main Hawaiian Islands at least until two years from their release from F1-NPP.

The major conclusions that we can draw from this study are:

(1) atmospheric fallout did not leave a signiﬁcant radiocesium footprint in the surface ocean at the investi-gated regions of Hawaii and Guam.

(2) The easternmost extent of the radiation plume between Japan and Hawaii was at 180◦E and 174◦W in June 2011 and 2012, respectively.

The Kuroshio and Kuroshio extension currents were eﬀective boundaries against 15 the southward spreading of radiation so the plume has not been detected over the past 1.5yr at the main Hawaiian Islands. The easternmost detection of 134 Cs within the North Paciﬁc in June 2012 was north of the Hawaiian Islands at longitude 162◦W and latitude 40◦N.

Acknowledgements.

This study would not have been possible without help from S. Curless 20 and the Hawaii Ocean Time-series program at UH, E. Matson (U of Guam), Sea Education Association, S. Fujieda (Kagoshima U), K. Olson (NELHA), Pangaea Explorations, 5 GyresInstitute and Algalita Expedition and the crews of the R/V Kaimikai-o-Kanaloa, R/V Kilo Moana,Kagoshima Maru, Ehime Maru, SSV Robert C. Seamans, SV Sea Dragon, and R. Reevesand all the volunteer sailors recruited by J. Callahan. N. Maximenko and J. Hafner (IPRC UH) were instrumental in contacting researchers and sailors and organizing samplings.

They also provided continued advice on physical oceanography and dispersion patterns and helped with creation of ﬁgures for this manuscript. We also acknowledge G. Ravizza and D. Vonderhaar for their help with the stable cesium analysis at their ICP-MS facility at UH. This material is based upon work supported by NSF under grant No. RAPID OCE-1137412, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation through Grant GBMF3007 to Ken Buesseler and the School of Ocean Earth Science and Technology, UH. Any opinions, ﬁndings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reﬂect the views of the funding agencies

http://www.scribd.com/doc/132046788/Cesium-134-and-137-activities-in-the-central-North-Pacific-Ocean-after-the-Fukushima-Dai-ichi-nuclear-power-plant

March 24, 2013 - Posted by arclight2011 | Uncategorized

1 Comment »

Interesting – it’s unfortunate that the sea life will not obey and be constrained by the currents.

Comment by Douglas McEwan | March 24, 2013 | Reply

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