Radiocarbon concentration in modern tree rings from Fukushima, Japan

Sheng Xu; Gordon T. Cook; Alan J. Cresswell; Elaine Dunbar; Stewart P.H.T. Freeman; Helen Hastie; Xiaolin Hou; Piotr Jacobsson; Philip Naysmith; David C.W. Sanderson

doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.04.004

Radiocarbon concentration in modern tree rings from Fukushima, Japan

Sheng Xu, Gordon T. Cook, Alan J. Cresswell, Elaine Dunbar, Stewart P.H.T. Freeman, Helen Hastie, Xiaolin Hou, Piotr Jacobsson, Philip Naysmith, David C.W. Sanderson

Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

A 30-year-old Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), collected from Iwaki, Fukushima in 2014, was analyzed for the long-lived radionuclide ¹⁴C. Values of δ¹⁴C varied from 211.7‰ in 1984 to 16.9‰ in 2013. The temporal δ¹⁴C variation can be described as an exponential decline, indistinguishable from the general Northern Hemisphere Zone 2 (NH Zone 2) values in the atmosphere, until at least 1994. Values of δ¹⁴C for 1999 and 2004 are slightly depleted compared with NH Zone 2 values, while from 1999 to 2013 the data suggest a clear depletion with a 2-8ppmV additional CO2 contribution from a ¹⁴C-free (i.e. fossil carbon) source. This change coincides with local traffic increases since two nearby expressways were opened in the 1990's. In addition, the small but visible ¹⁴C pulse observed in the 2011 tree-ring might be caused by release from the damaged reactors during the Fukushima nuclear accident.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
Volume	146
Pages (from-to)	67-72
Number of pages	6
ISSN	0265-931X
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.04.004
Publication status	Published - 2015

Keywords

Cellulose 14C
Cryptomeria japonica tree ring
Fossil fuel
Fukushima nuclear accident
Traffic effect
Accidents
Fossil fuels
Nuclear reactor accidents
Cryptomeria japonica
Fossil carbon
Fukushima nuclear accidents
Japanese cedars (Cryptomeria japonica)
Long-lived radionuclides
Northern Hemispheres
Radiocarbon concentration
Forestry

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@article{d9e5e7b661a0451b93c9fa56cf33fa7d,

title = "Radiocarbon concentration in modern tree rings from Fukushima, Japan",

abstract = "A 30-year-old Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), collected from Iwaki, Fukushima in 2014, was analyzed for the long-lived radionuclide 14C. Values of δ14C varied from 211.7‰ in 1984 to 16.9‰ in 2013. The temporal δ14C variation can be described as an exponential decline, indistinguishable from the general Northern Hemisphere Zone 2 (NH Zone 2) values in the atmosphere, until at least 1994. Values of δ14C for 1999 and 2004 are slightly depleted compared with NH Zone 2 values, while from 1999 to 2013 the data suggest a clear depletion with a 2-8ppmV additional CO2 contribution from a 14C-free (i.e. fossil carbon) source. This change coincides with local traffic increases since two nearby expressways were opened in the 1990's. In addition, the small but visible 14C pulse observed in the 2011 tree-ring might be caused by release from the damaged reactors during the Fukushima nuclear accident.",

keywords = "Cellulose 14C, Cryptomeria japonica tree ring, Fossil fuel, Fukushima nuclear accident, Traffic effect, Accidents, Fossil fuels, Nuclear reactor accidents, Cryptomeria japonica, Fossil carbon, Fukushima nuclear accidents, Japanese cedars (Cryptomeria japonica), Long-lived radionuclides, Northern Hemispheres, Radiocarbon concentration, Forestry",

author = "Sheng Xu and Cook, {Gordon T.} and Cresswell, {Alan J.} and Elaine Dunbar and Freeman, {Stewart P.H.T.} and Helen Hastie and Xiaolin Hou and Piotr Jacobsson and Philip Naysmith and Sanderson, {David C.W.}",

year = "2015",

doi = "10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.04.004",

language = "English",

volume = "146",

pages = "67--72",

journal = "Journal of Environmental Radioactivity",

issn = "0265-931X",

publisher = "Elsevier",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Radiocarbon concentration in modern tree rings from Fukushima, Japan

AU - Xu, Sheng

AU - Cook, Gordon T.

AU - Cresswell, Alan J.

AU - Dunbar, Elaine

AU - Freeman, Stewart P.H.T.

AU - Hastie, Helen

AU - Hou, Xiaolin

AU - Jacobsson, Piotr

AU - Naysmith, Philip

AU - Sanderson, David C.W.

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - A 30-year-old Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), collected from Iwaki, Fukushima in 2014, was analyzed for the long-lived radionuclide 14C. Values of δ14C varied from 211.7‰ in 1984 to 16.9‰ in 2013. The temporal δ14C variation can be described as an exponential decline, indistinguishable from the general Northern Hemisphere Zone 2 (NH Zone 2) values in the atmosphere, until at least 1994. Values of δ14C for 1999 and 2004 are slightly depleted compared with NH Zone 2 values, while from 1999 to 2013 the data suggest a clear depletion with a 2-8ppmV additional CO2 contribution from a 14C-free (i.e. fossil carbon) source. This change coincides with local traffic increases since two nearby expressways were opened in the 1990's. In addition, the small but visible 14C pulse observed in the 2011 tree-ring might be caused by release from the damaged reactors during the Fukushima nuclear accident.

AB - A 30-year-old Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), collected from Iwaki, Fukushima in 2014, was analyzed for the long-lived radionuclide 14C. Values of δ14C varied from 211.7‰ in 1984 to 16.9‰ in 2013. The temporal δ14C variation can be described as an exponential decline, indistinguishable from the general Northern Hemisphere Zone 2 (NH Zone 2) values in the atmosphere, until at least 1994. Values of δ14C for 1999 and 2004 are slightly depleted compared with NH Zone 2 values, while from 1999 to 2013 the data suggest a clear depletion with a 2-8ppmV additional CO2 contribution from a 14C-free (i.e. fossil carbon) source. This change coincides with local traffic increases since two nearby expressways were opened in the 1990's. In addition, the small but visible 14C pulse observed in the 2011 tree-ring might be caused by release from the damaged reactors during the Fukushima nuclear accident.

KW - Cellulose 14C

KW - Cryptomeria japonica tree ring

KW - Fossil fuel

KW - Fukushima nuclear accident

KW - Traffic effect

KW - Accidents

KW - Fossil fuels

KW - Nuclear reactor accidents

KW - Cryptomeria japonica

KW - Fossil carbon

KW - Fukushima nuclear accidents

KW - Japanese cedars (Cryptomeria japonica)

KW - Long-lived radionuclides

KW - Northern Hemispheres

KW - Radiocarbon concentration

KW - Forestry

U2 - 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.04.004

DO - 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.04.004

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25917022

SN - 0265-931X

VL - 146

SP - 67

EP - 72

JO - Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

JF - Journal of Environmental Radioactivity

ER -

Radiocarbon concentration in modern tree rings from Fukushima, Japan

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Keywords

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