Alpha-particle counting of a sediment core from Lac du Bouchet

A multiple detector assembly for α-particle counting has been used to determine the depth dependence of radioactivity at approx. 2 cm intervals along a 6.5 m sediment core from Lac du Bouchet, France. The reliability and reproducibility of measurements from the 24-detector assembly is assessed. The data is compared with an earlier smaller set of α-particle activity measurements from a different core from the same lake and the interpretation of the activity distribution is discussed, particularly in relation to possible climatic influence. (author)