Cosmogenic Radionuclides: Theory and Applications in the Terrestrial and Space Environments (Physics of Earth and Space Environments)

Cosmogenic radionuclides are radioactive isotopes which are produced by natural processes and distributed within the Earth system. With a holistic view of the environment the authors show in this book how cosmogenic radionuclides can be used to trace and to reconstruct the history of a large variety of processes. They discuss the way in which cosmogenic radionuclides can assist in the quantification of complex processes in the present-day environment. The book aims to demonstrate to the reader the strength of analytic tools based on cosmogenic radionuclides, their contribution to almost any field of modern science, and how these tools may assist in the solution of many present and future problems that we face here on Earth. The book provides a comprehensive discussion of the basic principles behind the applications of cosmogenic (and other) radionuclides as environmental tracers and dating tools. The second section of the book discusses in some detail the production of radionuclides by cosmic radiation, their transport and distribution in the atmosphere and the hydrosphere, their storage in natural archives, and how they are measured. The third section of the book presents a number of examples selected to illustrate typical tracer and dating applications in a number of different spheres (atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, biosphere, solar physics and astronomy). At the same time the authors have outlined the limitations of the use of cosmogenic radionuclides. Written on a level understandable by graduate students without specialist skills in physics or mathematics, the book addresses a wide audience, ranging from archaeology, biophysics, and geophysics, to atmospheric physics, hydrology, astrophysics and space science. Front Matter....Pages i-xvi Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Motivation....Pages 3-5 Goals....Pages 7-9 Setting the Stage and Outline....Pages 11-14 Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Introduction to Cosmic Radiation....Pages 17-18 The Cosmic Radiation Near Earth....Pages 19-78 Instrumental Measurements of the Cosmic Radiation....Pages 79-98 Time Variations of the Cosmic Radiation....Pages 99-109 The Solar Cosmic Radiation....Pages 111-131 Front Matter....Pages 133-133 Introduction to Cosmogenic Radionuclides....Pages 135-137 Production of Cosmogenic Radionuclides in the Atmosphere....Pages 139-177 Production of Cosmogenic Radionuclides in Other Environmental Systems....Pages 179-189 Alternative Production Mechanisms....Pages 191-201 Transport and Deposition....Pages 203-239 Archives....Pages 241-277 Detection....Pages 279-291 Front Matter....Pages 293-293 Introduction to Applications....Pages 295-296 Solar Physics....Pages 297-329 Galactic Astronomy....Pages 331-340 Atmosphere....Pages 341-354 Hydrosphere....Pages 355-367 Front Matter....Pages 293-293 Geosphere....Pages 369-388 Biosphere....Pages 389-395 Dating....Pages 397-417 Back Matter....Pages 419-426 Cosmogenic radionuclides are radioactive isotopes which are produced by natural processes and distributed within the Earth system. With a holistic view of the environment the authors show in this book how cosmogenic radionuclides can be used to trace and to reconstruct the history of a large variety of processes. They discuss the way in which cosmogenic radionuclides can assist in the quantification of complex processes in the present-day environment. This book aims to demonstrate to the reader the strength of analytic tools based on cosmogenic radionuclides, their contribution to almost any field of modern science, and how these tools may assist in the solution of many present and future problems that we face here on earth"--Back cover