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14C Analysis of Annual Tree Rings from the Vicinity of the Chernobyl NPP

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Michael Buzinny ,
Ilja Likhtarev ,
Ivan Los' ,
Nikolay Talerko  and
Nikolay Tsigankov
Michael Buzinny
Affiliation:
Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Melnikova 53, Kiev 254050 Ukraine
Ilja Likhtarev
Affiliation:
Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Melnikova 53, Kiev 254050 Ukraine
Ivan Los'
Affiliation:
Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Melnikova 53, Kiev 254050 Ukraine
Nikolay Talerko
Affiliation:
Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Melnikova 53, Kiev 254050 Ukraine
Nikolay Tsigankov
Affiliation:
Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Melnikova 53, Kiev 254050 Ukraine
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Abstract

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Samples of >40 pine trees were collected from around the Chernobyl NPP for radiocarbon measurement, to determine the spatial distribution of excessive 14C in tree rings from 1986 consequent upon accidental radiocarbon release. Tree samples were collected during 1995–1996 from sites situated at distances >2.5 km from the NPP and covering a variety of directions in relation to the NPP. To evaluate δ14C for 1986 annual rings, we compared 14C levels for separate 1985–1987 annual rings, taking into account the trend of operational releases. Early and late wood samples for 1986 annual tree rings were measured separately to increase the sensitivity and precision of measurements. The maximum value observed for excessive accidental radiocarbon levels (δ14C) was found to be 124 pMC (281.6 Bq kg-1 C). We present δ14C values for examined sites; their spatial distribution shows a high irregularity of atmospheric 14C depending on direction from the NPP. Using obtained data, we reconstruct the temporal behavior of 14C release during the Chernobyl accident with the aid of atmospheric transport modeling. The total amount of 14C released from 26 April to 5 May 1986 has been estimated as 44 TBq.

Type
Part 1: Methods
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 40 , Issue 1: 16th International Radiocarbon Conference 16-20,1997 Groningen , 1997 , pp. 373 - 379
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

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