Application of the model of vertical migration of Cs-137 for the calculus of recent sedimentation rates in coastal environments

• Grant number: 12/08634-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: October 01, 2012
• End date: February 28, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Oceanography - Chemical Oceanography
• Principal Investigator: Rubens Cesar Lopes Figueira
• Grantee: Paulo Alves de Lima Ferreira
• Host Institution: Instituto Oceanográfico (IO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Under the perspective of knowing the results of the processes which moves the sedimentary dynamics in coastal environments and assisting works related to the historic of impacts generated in these systems by human occupation, this study will investigate the applicability of the mathematic-chemical model of vertical migration of the radionuclide Cs-137 in sedimentary columns for the evaluation of recent sedimentation rates in the Cananeia-Iguape Estuarine-Lagoonal System, Santos High Estuary and Bertioga Channel. Cs-137 is an artificial radionuclide characterized by its high fission yield and half-life of about 30 years. It is already widely used in this kind of study by reason of its 1963's global peak. The model of vertical migration will improve the generated results as the levels of radioactivity of this nuclide are low in the Southern Hemisphere, where this element's main source is the atmospheric fallout from past nuclear explosions, and due to the fact that it is an element with non-negligible vertical mobility. The validation of the model of vertical migration will be done through comparisons with the results of the CIC (constant initial concentration) model of Pb-210, which is taken as valid by the scientific community and is extensively used throughout the world.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE LIMA FERREIRA, PAULO ALVES; SIEGLE, EDUARDO; FRANCA SCHETTINI, CARLOS AUGUSTO; DE MAHIQUES, MICHEL MICHAELOVITCH; LOPES FIGUEIRA, RUBENS CESAR. Statistical validation of the model of diffusion-convection (MDC) of Cs-137 for the assessment of recent sedimentation rates in coastal systems. JOURNAL OF RADIOANALYTICAL AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY, v. 303, n. 3, p. 13-pg., 2015-03-01. (12/08634-6, 11/50581-4, 09/01211-0)

DE LIMA FERREIRA, PAULO ALVES; SIEGLE, EDUARDO; FRANCA SCHETTINI, CARLOS AUGUSTO; DE MAHIQUES, MICHEL MICHAELOVITCH; LOPES FIGUEIRA, RUBENS CESAR. Statistical validation of the model of diffusion-convection (MDC) of Cs-137 for the assessment of recent sedimentation rates in coastal systems. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, v. 303, n. 3, p. 2059-2071, MAR 2015. (12/08634-6, 09/01211-0, 11/50581-4)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

FERREIRA, Paulo Alves de Lima. Application of the model of vertical migration of 137Cs for the determination of recent sedimentation rates in coastal environments. 2014. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto Oceanográfico (IO/DIDC) São Paulo.