Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Radioactive 38S in an atmospheric SO2 and SO2 oxidation rate measurement

Nature volume 268, pages 320–321 (1977)Cite this article

Abstract

BHANDARI et al.1 and independently Perkins et al.2 have detected cosmic-ray-produced 38S in several precipitation samples. This paper reports on the first detection of cosmic-ray-produced radioactive 38S as atmospheric 38SO2. The use of this nuclide as a tracer for the in situ determination of SO2 oxidation rates is also discussed. 38S is produced by spallation of atmospheric argon and decays with a half life of 2.87 h by β−-emission to 38C1; 95% of the decays are accompanied by 1.88 MeV-γ-radiation, 5% undergo direct transition to the 38Cl ground state.

Access through your institution
Buy or subscribe

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bhandari, N., Bhat, S. G., Kharkar, D. P., Krishna Swamy, S., Lal, D. & Thambane, A. S. Tellus 18, 504 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Perkins, R. W., Thomas, C. W., Hill, M. W. & Nielsen, J. Nature 205, 4973 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Polson, D. S. C. & Strickland, J. D. H. Anal. Chim. Acta 6, 452 (1952).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Stoeppler, M. Nukleonik 6, 335 (1964).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Roedel, W. Nucl. Instr. Meth. 61, 41 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Cox, R. A. & Penkett, S. A. JCS, Faraday Trans. I 68, 1735 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Cox, R. A. Tellus 26, 235 (1974).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Haury, G. & Jordan, S. Proc. Jahrestagung GAF, Bad Soden (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Haury, G. Rep. KFK 2318 UF Ges.f. Kernforschung, Karlsruhe (1976).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lal, D. & Peters, B. Handbuch Physik 46/2 (Springer, Berlin, 1967).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Roedel, W. Naturwiss. 59, 456 (1972).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Payrissat, M. & Beilcke, S. Atmosph. Environ. 9, 211 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Umweltphysik, Universitat Heidelberg, D-6900, Heidelberg, Federal Republic of Germany

    W. ROEDEL, W. JUNKERMANN & L. LEIDNER

Authors
  1. W. ROEDEL
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. W. JUNKERMANN
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. L. LEIDNER
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

ROEDEL, W., JUNKERMANN, W. & LEIDNER, L. Radioactive 38S in an atmospheric SO2 and SO2 oxidation rate measurement. Nature 268, 320–321 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/268320a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/268320a0

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing