The Variation of Radiocarbon-14 Content in the Atmosphere

  • Kyung Rin Yang (Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory Atomic Energy Research Institute)
  • Published : 1971.12.30

Abstract

The Carbon-14 content in surface air at Seoul, Korea, was measured from February 1970 to August 1971 and a Larix Leptolepis, Gordon tree (Ip-Gal Namu) grown at Kwang-Nung, Kyunggi-Do, Korea, having 37 growth rings, was assayde for $^{14}C$. From the results of the surface air study, it was calculated that during the above period the inventory of excess $^{14}C$ in the atmosphere decreased with a half-time of 4.6 years. The overall yearly decrease was also checked. The tree-ring study showed that the tree's atmosphere was affected by $^{14}C$ from nuclear tests after 1956. In one study, atmospheric $CO^2$ samples were collected bi-monthly by the absorption of $CO^2$ in alkaline hydroxide solution. In the other, 5 year annual growth rings were assayed for radiocarbon. For the radioactivity measurement, carbon atoms in samples were converted to carbon atoms of benzene. The resulting benzene was taken as primary solvent for liquid scintillation counting.

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