Analysis of 7Be and 210Pb concentration and 7Be/210Pb activity ratio in ground level air in Palermo (Italy).

Abstract

Recently a renewed interest has been put on the use of radioactive tracers to study transport and mixing processes in the atmosphere. Among the most commonly used radioactive tracers in the atmosphere, 7Be and 210Pb have assumed an ever-increasing importance. Beryllium-7 is the product of the interaction of cosmic rays with Nitrogen and Oxygen nuclei. Its cosmogenic origin makes the measured concentrations strongly dependent on the geographical position and seasonal cycles. It emits 478 keV gamma photons and has a half-life of about 53 days.