210Pb/226Ra and 210Po/210Pb disequilibria in seawater and suspended particulate matter |
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| Authors: | MP Bacon DW Spencer PG Brewer |
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| Institution: | Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Mass. 02543, USA |
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| Abstract: | The distribution of210Po and210Po in dissolved (<0.4 μm) and particulate (>0.4 μm) phases has been measured at ten stations in the tropical and eastern North Atlantic and at two stations in the Pacific. Both radionuclides occur principally in the dissolved phase. Unsupported210Pb activities, maintained by flux from the atmosphere, are present in the surface mixed layer and penetrate into the thermocline to depths of about 500 m. Dissolved210Po is ordinarily present in the mixed layer at less than equilibrium concentrations, suggesting rapid biological removal of this nuclide. Particulate matter is enriched in210Po, with210Po/210Pb activity ratios greater than 1.0, similar to those reported for phytoplankton. Box-model calculations yield a 2.5-year residence time for210Pb and a 0.6-year residence time for210Po in the mixed layer. These residence times are considerably longer than the time calculated for turnover of particles in the mixed layer (about 0.1 year). At depths of 100–300 m,210Po maxima occur and unsupported210Po is frequently present. Calculations indicate that at least 50% of the210Po removed from the mixed layer is recycled within the thermocline. Similar calculations for210Pb suggest much lower recycling efficiencies.Comparison of the210Pb distribution with the reported distribution of226Ra at nearby GEOSECS stations has confirmed the widespread existence of a210Pb/226Ra disequilibrium in the deep sea. Vertical profiles of particulate210Pb were used to test the hypothesis that210Pb is removed from deep water by in-situ scavenging. With the exception of one profile taken near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, significant vertical gradients in particulate210Pb concentration were not observed, and it is necessary to invoke exceptionally high particle sinking velocities to account for the inferred210Pb flux. It is proposed instead that an additional sink for210Pb in the deep sea must be sought. Estimates of the dissolved210Pb/226Ra activity ratio at depths greater than 1000 m range from 0.2 to 0.8 and reveal a systematic increase, in both vertical and horizontal directions, with increasing distance from the sea floor. This observation implies rapid scavenging of210Pb at the sediment-water interface and is consistent with a horizontal eddy diffusivity of 3?6 × 107 cm2/sec. The more reactive element Po, on the other hand, shows evidence of rapid in-situ scavenging. In filtered seawater,210Po is deficient, on the average, by ca. 10% relative to210Pb; a corresponding enrichment is found in the particulate phase. Total inventories of210Pb and210Po over the entire water column, however, show no significant departure from secular equilibrium. |
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