Evidence for Bismuth-207 in Global Fallout

Asker Aarkrog, Henning Dahlgaard, Elis Holm, L Hallstadius

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

    Abstract

    Samples of lichen, moss, soil and air collected since 1961 in Greenland, Svalbard, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Sweden and Denmark have been remeasured for γ-emitting radionuclides by Ge(Li) spectroscopy. The samples have shown the presence of 207Bi (physical half-life 38 years), a nuclide which has not been reported earlier in world-wide fallout. The concentrations of 207Bi have been compared with those of 60Co, 125Sb, and 137Cs. From this comparison the production of 207Bi is estimated at 1 PBq. It is assumed that the 207Bi is created in thermonuclear tested explosions in general and that in particular the 55Mt detonation of 30 October 1961 at Novaya Zemlya may have produced this activation product.
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalJournal of Environmental Radioactivity
    Volume1
    Issue number2
    Pages (from-to)107-117
    ISSN0265-931X
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1984

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Evidence for Bismuth-207 in Global Fallout'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this