Re: Pu-239,240:Am-241 Ratios

["Franz Schoenhofer" <schoenho@via.at>]

Schoenhofer
Habichergasse 31/7
A-1160 Wien
AUSTRIA
Tel./Fax: +43-1-4955308
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e-mail: schoenho@via.at

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> Von: Joel Webb <jwebb@cemrc.nmsu.edu>
> An: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
> Betreff: Pu-239,240:Am-241 Ratios 
> Datum: Donnerstag, 06. November 1997 01:04
> 
> Hello!
> 
> Does anybody know what are reasonable values for the ratio of Pu-239,240
to Am-241 in soil from global fallout (I would guess between 2 and 3)?  Any
references would be great.  Is anybody aware of Am-241 being depleted from
soil relative to Pu-239,240? 
> 
> Thank you!
> 
> Joel Webb
> New Mexico State University
> 
>--------------------------------------------------------------
Global fallout has not been to "global", Scandinavia being more affected by
Sovjet atmospheric tests, the tests in Nevada affecting the US, the French
tests in French Polynesia affecting the Southern Hemisphere etc. The ratio
depends on the purity of the Pu-239 used and the time elapsed since
detonation. Maybe there is an average ratio, but if RADSAFERS know about
differences I would greatly appreciate to receive this information myself.

Am and Pu behave different in the environment and therefore migration in
soil is different. As far as I remember there was a paper in Health Physics
about half a year or a year ago about migration in soil at a US site.

Franz