Tritium in the Snow Cover of the Viluy River Basin
Makarov V.N., Torgovkin N.V.
This study examines the distribution of tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, in a snow cover in the Viluy River basin. In the late 20th century, tritium in the regional environment and its accumulation in snow originated from regional atmospheric transfer and had concentrations similar to those at the South Pole. By 2013, tritium concentrations in the snowcover increased nearly three times. The tritium concentrations in the snow cover correlate with population density. At present, long-living diffusive radioactive contamination is observed in the region caused mainly by radioactive fallout from the «Fukushima» disaster in 2011.
Key words: snow, tritium, chemical composition, landscapes, Yakutia.
Science and Education, 2015, No.1, pp.50-55