RADIONUCLIDES AND WIND EROSION

Abstract

Wind erosion is effective on 500 million ha of land in arid and semi-arid regions where annual precipitation is less than 500 mm such as Aralik-Igdir, Turkey; whereas, both naturally and artificially radionuclides are almost spread over the whole earth. Humankind inevitably encountered radionuclides in July, 1945 when nuclear era started by tentatively making burst a blast in New Mexico, USA. Creep, saltation, and suspension are three different effects of wind erosion on soils. Quite small particles (<100 µm) are transported over a great distance and kept aloft for a long time. Radionuclides are also moved and carried away as soil-bonded ones and radioactive aerosols due to wind erosion caused by strong winds. This fact is evaluated as different by each science. Some radionuclide movements are an important method for exploring soil redistribution by wind due to their strongly adsorbing to soil particles. Although ¹³⁷Cs is the most commonly preferred anthropogenic radioisotope used to assess soil redistribution rates, ^239+240Pu has been recently started to be used as a tracer. I want to emphasize that wind erosion area of Aralik-Igdir, Turkey is waiting to be explored.

Keywords

• Radionuclides,half-life,Wind erosion,137Cs and 239+240Pu,Wind erosion area of Aralik-Igdir,Turkey

Abstract

Rüzgar erozyonu yıllık yağışı 500 mm den düşük, Iğdır-Aralık örneği gibi, 500 milyon hektara yayılan kurak ve yarı kurak bölgelerde etkildir. İz elementleri ve izotopları dünyanın her bölgesine yayılmış durumdadır. İnsanlık 1945 yılında New Mexico, ABD’de gerçekleştirilen ilk nükleer deneme ile nükleer çağ ile tanışmıştır. Sürüklenme, sıçrama ve havada asılı kalma rüzgar erozyonunun topraklar üzerindeki üç farklı etkisidir. 100 µm den daha küçük toprak parçacıkları ve bunlara bağlanmış iz elementleri çok uzak mesafelere taşınmaktadır. Bu olaylar farklı bilim dalları tarafından farklı bir şekilde değerlendirilir. Bazı iz elementlerinin hareketleri rüzgarla yer değiştiren toprak parçacıklarının izlenmesinde önemli bir katkı sağlamaktadır. ¹³⁷Cs, yer değiştiren toprak parçacıklarının izlenmesinde en yaygın kullanılan insan yapımı radyoizotop olmasına rağmen,  ^239+240Pu son zamanlarda kullanılmaya başlanan bir iz elementidir. Bu çalışmada Aralık-Iğdır-Türkiye’deki rüzgar erozyon sahasına vurgu yapılmıştır.

Keywords

• İz elementleri,yarı ömür,rüzgar erozyonu,137Cs ve 239+240Pu,Aralık-Iğdır,Türkiye rüzgar erozyon sahası

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