Radionuclides in the south pole atmosphere

Surface air concentrations of 222Rn, 210Pb, 7Be, and fission products at the geographic south pole have been determined during the 1973--1974 and 1974--1975 austral summer seasons. The 222Rn concentration was generally very low (0.3--0.4 pCi per standard cubic meter). However, on some days, very high radon levels, indicative of 'radonic storms,' were observed. The concentrations of fission products, from new nuclear tests in 1974, increased as a function of time. This indicated that the stratospheric reservoir of nuclear debris was still drastically changing some 3--4 months after the nuclear detonations. The 7Be and fission product concentrations from old debris origin showed a good correlation with the concentrations of some atmospheric trace elements, such as S and Br. This and other facts suggested a stratospheric origin for those trace elements. There were also several indications which pointed to a substantial stratospheric source of 210Pb during the austral summer season. The size distribution data for the various fission products differed from the 7Be size distribution data, possibly as a result of the different age of the 7Be-bearing aerosols or mode of transport to the antarctic continent