Science Daily March 9, 2020
Isotopic ratios of radioactive releases into the environment are useful signatures for contamination source assessment. A ratio of uranium trace isotopes may serve as a superior oceanographic tracer. An international team of researchers (Austria, Australia, Denmark, Japan, Germany) analysed ratio on the atomic 233U/236U ratio analyzed in representative environmental samples. The ratios detected in compartments of the environment affected by releases of nuclear power production or by weapons fallout differ by one order of magnitude. Significant amounts of 233U were only released in nuclear weapons fallout. This makes the 233U/236U ratio a promising new fingerprint for radioactive emissions…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ATICLE
233U and 236U signal in the peat bog compared with weapons yields. Credit: Nature Communications volume 11, Article number: 1275 (2020)