Archives → 2018 → Vol. 58, No. 6 → pp. 664-670
Article
Geochronological Reconstruction of Plutonium Depositioninto the Deep Black Sea Bottom Sediments
Proskurnin V. Yu., Tereshchenko N.N., Chuzhikova-Proskurnina O.D., Gulin S.B.
A.O. Kovalevsky Institute of Marine Biological Research of RAS, Sevastopol, Russia
Abstract
New data on major plutonium isotope distribution in the deep Black Sea sediments have been obtained. These data represent the history of plutonium income into the Black Sea, as well as its deposition into the bottom sediments of the basin. 80% of the contemporary 239 + 240Pu inventory in the deep bottom sediments was shown to have been accumulated before 1986, while almost a half (47%) of 238Pu inventory was formed during the 1986–2013 time period. This reflects a more substantial contribution of the Chernobyl radioactive fallout for the 238Pu input into the Black Sea than 239 + 240Pu. Geochronological reconstruction of plutonium sedimentation deposition flux into the deep Black Sea bottom sediments was carried out. The 10 year time period of plutonium sedimentation flux half-reduction was determined. The dating of sediments shows that the deepening of Chernobyl originated plutonium in the sediment thickness is 3 cm. The upper 3 cm sediment layer was determined to have formed during 27 years in the 1986–2013 time period, while a 3–5 cm sediment layer formed from 1950 to 1986.
Keywords
Black sea, plutonium isotopes, bottom sediments dating, geochronological reconstruction, sedimentation self-purification of basins
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