Purple soils are widely distributed in the Sichuan Hilly Basin and are highly susceptible to erosion, especially on the cultivated slopes. Quantitative assessment of the erosion rates is, however, difficult due to sma...Purple soils are widely distributed in the Sichuan Hilly Basin and are highly susceptible to erosion, especially on the cultivated slopes. Quantitative assessment of the erosion rates is, however, difficult due to small size of the plots of the manually-tilled land, the complex land use, and steep hillslopes. ^137Cs and ^210Pbex （excess ^210Pb） tracing techniques were used to investigate the spatial pattern of soil erosion rates associated with slope-land under hoe tillage in Neijiang of the Sichuan Hilly Basin. The ^137Cs and ^210Pbex inventories at the top of the cultivated slope were extremely low, and the highest inventories were found at the bottom of the cultivated slope. By combining the erosion rates estimates provided by both ^137Cs and 21~Pbex measurements, the weighted mean net soil loss from the study slope was estimated to be 3 100 t km^-2 year^-1, which was significantly less than 6 930 t km^-2 year^-1 reported for runoff plots on a 10° cultivated slope at the Suining Station of Soil Erosion. The spatial pattern of soil erosion rates on the steep agricultural land showed that hoe tillage played an important role in soil redistribution along the slope. Also, traditional farming practices had a significant role in reducing soil loss, leading to a lower net erosion rate for the field.展开更多
137 Cs is an artificial radionuclide with a half-life of 30.2 years,which was released into the environment as a byproduct of atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons during the period of 1950s to 1970s with a peak depo...137 Cs is an artificial radionuclide with a half-life of 30.2 years,which was released into the environment as a byproduct of atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons during the period of 1950s to 1970s with a peak deposition in 1963.137 Cs fallout was strongly and rapidly adsorbed by soil particles when it deposited on the ground mostly with precipitation.Its following movements will associate with the adsorbed particles.137 Cs tracing technique has been widely used in soil erosion and sedimentation studies since 1980s.This paper introduces the basis of the technique and shows several case studies of assessment of soil erosion rates,investigation of sediment sources and dating of reservoir deposits by using the technique in the Loess Plateau and the Upper Yangtze River Basin.展开更多
This paper reports the concentrations of 137Cs, hexaehlorocyclohexane （HCH）, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes （DDT） and its main degradation products, δ3C, and organic carbon in pond sediments （O-210 cm, section...This paper reports the concentrations of 137Cs, hexaehlorocyclohexane （HCH）, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes （DDT） and its main degradation products, δ3C, and organic carbon in pond sediments （O-210 cm, sectioned by 2-20 cm interval） and surface soils （the 0-3 cm horizon） collected in 2OlO from Chenjia catchment, which is located in Yanting county in the hilly central Sichuan of China. α-, β-, and γ-HCH, DDT, and DDD were not detected throughout the sediment profile. Trace concentrations of δ-HCH （0.89-29.31 ng g^-1） and p,p＇- DDE （1.85-6.02 ng g^-1） were detected only in top 40 cm sediment. The 137Cs fallout peak in 1963 （corresponding to the 55-60 cm depth）, the sedimentary signature left by the last year of HCH use in 1989 （an additional indicator at 20-25 cm）, and the obvious original channel bed prior to the construction of the pond in 1956 were used as temporal markers to estimate changes in average sedimentation rate between different periods due to changes in land use. Continuous, marked decrease in average sedimentation rate （i.e., 3.79, 1.35 and 1.07 cm year-1 in 1956-1963, 1963-1989, and 1989-2010, respectively） over time was observed, probably due to the reforestation, abandoning of steep sloping farmland for afforestation and natural re-vegetation （implementation of the Grain for Green Program）, and the conversion of part of gently sloping farmlandterraces to orchard land since the 1980s, especially since the 1990s. This was corroborated by the observed decrease （more negative） in δ3C of sediment towards the surface, which indicates increased relative contribution of eroded soil particles coming from slopes with increased tree cover in sediment source area. Combined use of 137Cs, δ-HCH, and δ3C record in sediments has been demonstrated to be a powerful approach to reconstruction of response in sedimentation rate to historical land use changes.展开更多
Reservoir sedimentation dynamics were interpreted using Cs-137 activity, particle size and rainfall erosivity analysis in conjunetion with sediment profile coring. Two sediment cores were retrieved from the Changshou ...Reservoir sedimentation dynamics were interpreted using Cs-137 activity, particle size and rainfall erosivity analysis in conjunetion with sediment profile coring. Two sediment cores were retrieved from the Changshou reservoir of Chongqing, which was dammed in 1956 at the outlet of Longxi catchment in the Three Gorges Area using a gravity corer equipped with an aerylie tube with an inner diameter of 6 em. The extracted cores were sectioned at 2 cm intervals. All sediment core samples were dried, sieved （〈2 mm） and weighed. 137Cs activity was measured by y-ray spectrometry. The particle size of the core samples was measured using laser particle size granulometry. Rainfall erosivity was calculated using daily rainfall data from meteorological records and information on soil conservation history was collated to help interpret temporal sedimentation trends. The peak fallout of 137Cs in 1963 appeared at a depth of 84 cm in core A and 56 cm in core B. The peaks of sand contents were related to the peaks of rainfall erosivity which were recorded in 1982, 1989, 1998 and 2005, respectively. Sedimentation rates were calculated according to the sediment profile chronological controls of 1956, 1963, 1982, 1989, 1998 and 2oo5. The highest sedimentation rate was around 2.0 cm·a^-1 between 1982 and 1988 when the Chinese national reform and the Household Responsibility System were implemented, leading to accelerated soil erosion in the Longxi catchment. Since 1990s, and particularly since 2005, sedimentation rates clearly decreased, since a number of soil conservation programs have been carried out in the catchment. The combined use of ^137Cs chronology, particle size and rainfall erosivity provided a simple basis for reconstructing reservoir sedimentation dynamics in the context of both physical processes and soil restoration. Its advantages include avoiding the need for full blown sediment yield reconstruction and the concomitant consideration of core correlation and corrections for autochthonous inputs and reservoir trap efficiency.展开更多
Isotope of 137Cs appeared in the environment by nuclear weapon tests in the atmosphere in the 1950s and 1960s. When the 137Cs deposited to the ground, they were absorbed strongly and quickly by exchanging positions wi...Isotope of 137Cs appeared in the environment by nuclear weapon tests in the atmosphere in the 1950s and 1960s. When the 137Cs deposited to the ground, they were absorbed strongly and quickly by exchanging positions with other elements, and it had no ability to decompose in most of the environments. Redistribution of this isotope after settled down into the soil mainly occurs due to redistribution of soil surface. Research on the correlation between 137Cs loss and soil erosion was done in 2009, at 24 sites, on basaltic soil with slopes of 20%-25%. Statistical analysis by linear regression of experimental data according to equation ofy = a × xb got coefficients of a and b. They are 20.123 and 1.0967, respectively. The correlation ofy = 20.123 × x1.0967 was tested with error of 7.3%-35.8% between the actual soil loss and calculating. This correlation was applied to evaluate soil erosion rates in two catchments of Buon Yong and Ea Kao belonging to Dak Lak province, thereby giving soil erosion rates ranging from 3.44 t-ha-1 to 26.38 t-ha-1, depending on the conditions of sloping land and cover crops.展开更多
As a result of more than two thousand nuclear tests performed since 1945, two war actions and few accidents in nuclear reactor, it does already exist a radioactive contamination at global scale. This contamination has...As a result of more than two thousand nuclear tests performed since 1945, two war actions and few accidents in nuclear reactor, it does already exist a radioactive contamination at global scale. This contamination has been accumulated mainly in marine sediments, because sea is about 80% of planet surface, and solid fission products released by nuclear explosions are transported by wind first and then by rain to liquid and solid portions on earth, while gaseous fission products are diffused in the atmosphere. In this way, heavy, high yielding fission products, such as 137Cs, get marine sediments, where they are found mixed with heavy radioactive natural elements such as U, Th and their also radioactive decay products. But since alkaline are so abundant on earth, it is also found natural radioactive isotope 4~K, 0.0118% of isotopes forming K element, with half life 1.28 ~ l09, in the time range of planet age and elements origin. So, one easy way to assess both the importance and evaluation of radioactive contamination at global scale should be to establish a RCF （radioactive contamination factor） as a percentage of 137Cs contaminant radioactivity in marine sediments, compared to 4~K natural radioactivity present from the very beginning of earth, both expressed as Bq per gram of sediment. In the frame of these rather general considerations, a research project has started in Mexico whose varied purposes are： to characterize sea regions in both vast littorals in the country, by its natural 4~K radioactivity present in sea salts, as well as to determine if 137Cs traces produced by recent radioactive contamination have reached their coasts. Also, to assess the 137Cs traces already present in marine sediments as a result of more than two thousand nuclear test explosions performed till now, rather than contamination produced by four main accidents in nuclear reactors during the last 60 years. It is proposed a radioactive contamination factor obtained from samples taken up in both coasts during the last two years, which should be very useful in two ways： first to assess the real danger of radioactive contamination already present by comparing with natural radioactivity, and second to assess the growth, equilibrium or drop of radioactive contamination, given that nuclear energy is still the best option to solve the large energy demand foreseen in the near future.展开更多
After the damage of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, a great number of radioactive materials were released into the Pacific Ocean. Therefore, it is necessary to research on the temporal and spatial distribution ...After the damage of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, a great number of radioactive materials were released into the Pacific Ocean. Therefore, it is necessary to research on the temporal and spatial distribution of these radionuclides. We use Princeton Ocean Model to simulate the circulation of the coast water of Fukushima NPP and obtain the concentration of caesium-137 by solving the diffusion equations. We employ the Monte Carlo N-particle(MCNP) code to assess the external doses caused by these contaminated sea water. To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of volume source in MCNP code, we establish a transformation method between spot source and volume source, and determine an appropriate range of volume source. Finally, we calculate the absorbed doses of every organ/tissue and the effective dose of a human body.展开更多
基金Project supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (No. 2003CB415201)National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40671120)+1 种基金the International Atomic Energy Agency (Nos. 12322/RO and UK-12094)the Young Scientist Foundation of Sichuan Province (No.06ZQ026-030)
文摘Purple soils are widely distributed in the Sichuan Hilly Basin and are highly susceptible to erosion, especially on the cultivated slopes. Quantitative assessment of the erosion rates is, however, difficult due to small size of the plots of the manually-tilled land, the complex land use, and steep hillslopes. ^137Cs and ^210Pbex （excess ^210Pb） tracing techniques were used to investigate the spatial pattern of soil erosion rates associated with slope-land under hoe tillage in Neijiang of the Sichuan Hilly Basin. The ^137Cs and ^210Pbex inventories at the top of the cultivated slope were extremely low, and the highest inventories were found at the bottom of the cultivated slope. By combining the erosion rates estimates provided by both ^137Cs and 21~Pbex measurements, the weighted mean net soil loss from the study slope was estimated to be 3 100 t km^-2 year^-1, which was significantly less than 6 930 t km^-2 year^-1 reported for runoff plots on a 10° cultivated slope at the Suining Station of Soil Erosion. The spatial pattern of soil erosion rates on the steep agricultural land showed that hoe tillage played an important role in soil redistribution along the slope. Also, traditional farming practices had a significant role in reducing soil loss, leading to a lower net erosion rate for the field.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40971169,41101259)Ministry of Environmental Protectionof China (Grant No. 2009ZX07104-002-06)State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry (Grant No. SKLEG9008)
文摘137 Cs is an artificial radionuclide with a half-life of 30.2 years,which was released into the environment as a byproduct of atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons during the period of 1950s to 1970s with a peak deposition in 1963.137 Cs fallout was strongly and rapidly adsorbed by soil particles when it deposited on the ground mostly with precipitation.Its following movements will associate with the adsorbed particles.137 Cs tracing technique has been widely used in soil erosion and sedimentation studies since 1980s.This paper introduces the basis of the technique and shows several case studies of assessment of soil erosion rates,investigation of sediment sources and dating of reservoir deposits by using the technique in the Loess Plateau and the Upper Yangtze River Basin.
基金supported by the National Key Technology R&D Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Grant No. 2011BAC09B05)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41171372)+2 种基金International Atomic Energy Agency (15521/RO)the Hundred Talents Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Sichuan Provincethe CAS-SAFEA International Partnership Program for Creative Research Team (Grant No. KZZD-EWTZ-06)
文摘This paper reports the concentrations of 137Cs, hexaehlorocyclohexane （HCH）, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes （DDT） and its main degradation products, δ3C, and organic carbon in pond sediments （O-210 cm, sectioned by 2-20 cm interval） and surface soils （the 0-3 cm horizon） collected in 2OlO from Chenjia catchment, which is located in Yanting county in the hilly central Sichuan of China. α-, β-, and γ-HCH, DDT, and DDD were not detected throughout the sediment profile. Trace concentrations of δ-HCH （0.89-29.31 ng g^-1） and p,p＇- DDE （1.85-6.02 ng g^-1） were detected only in top 40 cm sediment. The 137Cs fallout peak in 1963 （corresponding to the 55-60 cm depth）, the sedimentary signature left by the last year of HCH use in 1989 （an additional indicator at 20-25 cm）, and the obvious original channel bed prior to the construction of the pond in 1956 were used as temporal markers to estimate changes in average sedimentation rate between different periods due to changes in land use. Continuous, marked decrease in average sedimentation rate （i.e., 3.79, 1.35 and 1.07 cm year-1 in 1956-1963, 1963-1989, and 1989-2010, respectively） over time was observed, probably due to the reforestation, abandoning of steep sloping farmland for afforestation and natural re-vegetation （implementation of the Grain for Green Program）, and the conversion of part of gently sloping farmlandterraces to orchard land since the 1980s, especially since the 1990s. This was corroborated by the observed decrease （more negative） in δ3C of sediment towards the surface, which indicates increased relative contribution of eroded soil particles coming from slopes with increased tree cover in sediment source area. Combined use of 137Cs, δ-HCH, and δ3C record in sediments has been demonstrated to be a powerful approach to reconstruction of response in sedimentation rate to historical land use changes.
基金funded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.KZCX2-XB3-09)the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(Grant No.2011BAD31B03)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.41101259,41102224 and 41201275)
文摘Reservoir sedimentation dynamics were interpreted using Cs-137 activity, particle size and rainfall erosivity analysis in conjunetion with sediment profile coring. Two sediment cores were retrieved from the Changshou reservoir of Chongqing, which was dammed in 1956 at the outlet of Longxi catchment in the Three Gorges Area using a gravity corer equipped with an aerylie tube with an inner diameter of 6 em. The extracted cores were sectioned at 2 cm intervals. All sediment core samples were dried, sieved （〈2 mm） and weighed. 137Cs activity was measured by y-ray spectrometry. The particle size of the core samples was measured using laser particle size granulometry. Rainfall erosivity was calculated using daily rainfall data from meteorological records and information on soil conservation history was collated to help interpret temporal sedimentation trends. The peak fallout of 137Cs in 1963 appeared at a depth of 84 cm in core A and 56 cm in core B. The peaks of sand contents were related to the peaks of rainfall erosivity which were recorded in 1982, 1989, 1998 and 2005, respectively. Sedimentation rates were calculated according to the sediment profile chronological controls of 1956, 1963, 1982, 1989, 1998 and 2oo5. The highest sedimentation rate was around 2.0 cm·a^-1 between 1982 and 1988 when the Chinese national reform and the Household Responsibility System were implemented, leading to accelerated soil erosion in the Longxi catchment. Since 1990s, and particularly since 2005, sedimentation rates clearly decreased, since a number of soil conservation programs have been carried out in the catchment. The combined use of ^137Cs chronology, particle size and rainfall erosivity provided a simple basis for reconstructing reservoir sedimentation dynamics in the context of both physical processes and soil restoration. Its advantages include avoiding the need for full blown sediment yield reconstruction and the concomitant consideration of core correlation and corrections for autochthonous inputs and reservoir trap efficiency.
文摘Isotope of 137Cs appeared in the environment by nuclear weapon tests in the atmosphere in the 1950s and 1960s. When the 137Cs deposited to the ground, they were absorbed strongly and quickly by exchanging positions with other elements, and it had no ability to decompose in most of the environments. Redistribution of this isotope after settled down into the soil mainly occurs due to redistribution of soil surface. Research on the correlation between 137Cs loss and soil erosion was done in 2009, at 24 sites, on basaltic soil with slopes of 20%-25%. Statistical analysis by linear regression of experimental data according to equation ofy = a × xb got coefficients of a and b. They are 20.123 and 1.0967, respectively. The correlation ofy = 20.123 × x1.0967 was tested with error of 7.3%-35.8% between the actual soil loss and calculating. This correlation was applied to evaluate soil erosion rates in two catchments of Buon Yong and Ea Kao belonging to Dak Lak province, thereby giving soil erosion rates ranging from 3.44 t-ha-1 to 26.38 t-ha-1, depending on the conditions of sloping land and cover crops.
文摘As a result of more than two thousand nuclear tests performed since 1945, two war actions and few accidents in nuclear reactor, it does already exist a radioactive contamination at global scale. This contamination has been accumulated mainly in marine sediments, because sea is about 80% of planet surface, and solid fission products released by nuclear explosions are transported by wind first and then by rain to liquid and solid portions on earth, while gaseous fission products are diffused in the atmosphere. In this way, heavy, high yielding fission products, such as 137Cs, get marine sediments, where they are found mixed with heavy radioactive natural elements such as U, Th and their also radioactive decay products. But since alkaline are so abundant on earth, it is also found natural radioactive isotope 4~K, 0.0118% of isotopes forming K element, with half life 1.28 ~ l09, in the time range of planet age and elements origin. So, one easy way to assess both the importance and evaluation of radioactive contamination at global scale should be to establish a RCF （radioactive contamination factor） as a percentage of 137Cs contaminant radioactivity in marine sediments, compared to 4~K natural radioactivity present from the very beginning of earth, both expressed as Bq per gram of sediment. In the frame of these rather general considerations, a research project has started in Mexico whose varied purposes are： to characterize sea regions in both vast littorals in the country, by its natural 4~K radioactivity present in sea salts, as well as to determine if 137Cs traces produced by recent radioactive contamination have reached their coasts. Also, to assess the 137Cs traces already present in marine sediments as a result of more than two thousand nuclear test explosions performed till now, rather than contamination produced by four main accidents in nuclear reactors during the last 60 years. It is proposed a radioactive contamination factor obtained from samples taken up in both coasts during the last two years, which should be very useful in two ways： first to assess the real danger of radioactive contamination already present by comparing with natural radioactivity, and second to assess the growth, equilibrium or drop of radioactive contamination, given that nuclear energy is still the best option to solve the large energy demand foreseen in the near future.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.71373140)the State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian(Grant No.SKLNBC0308)Tsinghua University Initiative Scientific Research Program(Grant Nos.2012Z10137,2012THZ0124)
文摘After the damage of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, a great number of radioactive materials were released into the Pacific Ocean. Therefore, it is necessary to research on the temporal and spatial distribution of these radionuclides. We use Princeton Ocean Model to simulate the circulation of the coast water of Fukushima NPP and obtain the concentration of caesium-137 by solving the diffusion equations. We employ the Monte Carlo N-particle(MCNP) code to assess the external doses caused by these contaminated sea water. To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of volume source in MCNP code, we establish a transformation method between spot source and volume source, and determine an appropriate range of volume source. Finally, we calculate the absorbed doses of every organ/tissue and the effective dose of a human body.
