A simplified approach to analysing historical and recent tritium data in surface waters

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F68407700%3A21110%2F14%3A00242316" target="_blank" >RIV/68407700:21110/14:00242316 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hyp.10174" target="_blank" >http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hyp.10174</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hyp.10174" target="_blank" >10.1002/hyp.10174</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

A simplified approach to analysing historical and recent tritium data in surface waters

Original language description

Tritium concentrations in river and stream waters from different locations can be compared by normalizing them using the ratio of tritium concentrations in precipitation and surface water (Cp/Cs) in the study area. This study uses these ratios in a hydrological residence time context to make regional- and global-scale comparisons about river basin dynamics. Prior to the advent of nuclear weapons testing, the Cp/Cs ratio was greater than or equal to 1 everywhere because of the decay of tritium in the watershed after it was deposited by precipitation. After an initial increase in the ratios during the bomb peak, the ratio dropped to less than 1 for most surface waters in the following years. This post-bomb change in the ratio is due to the retention of the bomb-pulse water in watersheds on timescales that are long relative to the residence time of tritium in the atmosphere. Ratios were calculated for over 6500 measurements of tritium in river and stream waters compiled by the International Atomic Energy Agency. These measurements span the post-nuclear era (1940s to present) and include many long-term datasets, which make it possible to examine residence times of waters in watersheds on a global basis. Plotting Cp/Cs versus time shows that ratios tended to reach a minimum in approximately one to two decades after the bomb peak for most locations. This result suggests that changes affecting quantity and quality of river flows need to be assessed on a multi-decadal timescale. These long lag times have significant implications for assessing climate or land-use change impacts on a large number of river systems around the world. The continuing value of tritium in studying surface water systems for both the Southern and Northern Hemisphere is also demonstrated.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_x - Unclassified - Peer-reviewed scientific article (Jimp, Jsc and Jost)

CEP classification

DA - Hydrology and limnology

OECD FORD branch

—

Project

—

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2014

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Hydrological Processes

ISSN

1099-1085

e-ISSN

—

Volume of the periodical

29

Issue of the periodical within the volume

4

Country of publishing house

GB - UNITED KINGDOM

Number of pages

7

Pages from-to

572-578

UT code for WoS article

000347848900008

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-84921064107