Scientists say that the ice of Antarctica emits radiation
French researchers from the University of Aix-Marseille have found that Antarctic ice releases radioactive chlorine. They believe that it has accumulated over the years of marine tests of nuclear weapons.
Specialists from France analyzed the percentage of emissions of radioactive chlorine in different parts of the surface. First of all, they were interested in places with different precipitation levels. They then took ice samples from a well near the Russian Vostok station in East Antarctica. They compared them with samples from the Talos ice dome.
Scientists have determined the concentration of radioactive chlorine-36 in these two areas. After that, they compared how many isotopes were present at the Vostok in 1949-2007 and at the Talos dome in 1910-1980.
It turned out that in the first section, the concentration of the radioactive element in 2008 exceeded the norm by 10 times. At the same time, the French argue that chlorine-36 is still too small to have a significant impact on the environment.
According to experts, in Antarctica a certain amount of chlorine-36 is formed naturally. The reason is the effect of cosmic rays on argon in the Earth’s atmosphere. However, sometimes it is formed due to nuclear explosions, when neutrons react with chlorine contained in sea water.
Specialists from France analyzed the percentage of emissions of radioactive chlorine in different parts of the surface. First of all, they were interested in places with different precipitation levels. They then took ice samples from a well near the Russian Vostok station in East Antarctica. They compared them with samples from the Talos ice dome.
Scientists have determined the concentration of radioactive chlorine-36 in these two areas. After that, they compared how many isotopes were present at the Vostok in 1949-2007 and at the Talos dome in 1910-1980.
It turned out that in the first section, the concentration of the radioactive element in 2008 exceeded the norm by 10 times. At the same time, the French argue that chlorine-36 is still too small to have a significant impact on the environment.
According to experts, in Antarctica a certain amount of chlorine-36 is formed naturally. The reason is the effect of cosmic rays on argon in the Earth’s atmosphere. However, sometimes it is formed due to nuclear explosions, when neutrons react with chlorine contained in sea water.
