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Artificial radionuclides database in the Pacific Ocean: HAM database.

Michio Aoyama¹, Katsumi Hirose

¹Geochemical Research Department, Meteorological Research Institute, Nagamine 1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0052, Japan. maoyama@mri-jma.go.jp

Thescientificworldjournal

|April 24, 2004

Summary

A new database compiles historical artificial radionuclide data (Strontium-90, Cesium-137, Plutonium-239,240) in the Pacific Ocean. This resource aids oceanographic studies and environmental impact assessments over five decades.

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Area of Science:

Marine Chemistry
Radiochemistry
Oceanography

Background:

Artificial radionuclides like Strontium-90 (90Sr), Cesium-137 (137Cs), and Plutonium-239,240 (239,240Pu) are significant environmental contaminants.
Understanding their distribution in marine environments is crucial for ecological and oceanographic research.

Purpose of the Study:

To create a comprehensive database of historical artificial radionuclide concentrations in the Pacific Ocean and its marginal seas.
To consolidate data from diverse sources, including literature and unpublished records, spanning nearly five decades (1957-1998).

Main Methods:

Compilation of data on 90Sr, 137Cs, and 239,240Pu concentrations from approximately 90 literature citations.
Inclusion of data from published papers, Japanese Maritime Safety Agency reports, and individual contributions.

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Data collection covered various depths from the sea surface to the ocean floor.

Main Results:

The "Historical Artificial Radionuclides in the Pacific Ocean and its Marginal Seas" (HAM) database was established.
The database contains 7737 records for 137Cs, 3972 for 90Sr, and 2666 for 239,240Pu.
Data distribution is heterogeneous, with over 80% concentrated in the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan.

Conclusions:

The HAM database provides a valuable resource for using artificial radionuclides as chemical tracers in oceanographic studies.
It facilitates the assessment of environmental impacts of anthropogenic radionuclides over a 5-decade period.
The compiled data can be used to validate oceanic general circulation models on decadal timescales.