The application of caesium-137 measurements to investigate floodplain deposition in a large semi-arid catchment in Queensland, Australia : a low-fallout environment

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)

AMOS, K.J.

School of Physical Environmental and Mathematical Sciences, Univ. of New South Wales, Canberra, Australie

CROKE, J.C.

School of Physical Environmental and Mathematical Sciences, Univ. of New South Wales, Canberra, Australie

TIMMERS, H.

School of Physical Environmental and Mathematical Sciences, Univ. of New South Wales, Canberra, Australie

OWENS, P.N.

Environmental Science Program, Univ. British Columbia, Prince George, Canada

THOMPSON, C.

School of Physical Environmental and Mathematical Sciences, Univ. of New South Wales, Canberra, Australie

Description :
This study assesses the utility of Cs 137 inventory and depth-profile techniques for determining relative amounts of floodplain sedimentation in the Fitzroy River, northeastern Australia, a semi-arid river system. Caesium-137 inventories were calculated for foodplain and reference location bulk soil cores collected from 4 sites. Depth profiles of Cs 137 concentration from each floodplain site and a reference location were recorded. The similarity between floodplain and reference bulk inventories does not necessarily indicate a lack of erosion or deposition, due to low Cs 137 fallout in the region and associated high measurements uncertainties, and a likely influence of gully and bank eroded sediments with no or limited adsorbed Cs 137. In this low-fallout environment, detailed depth-profile data are necessary for investigating sedimentation using Cs 137.

Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Earth surface processes and landforms, issn : 0197-9337, 2009, vol. 34, n°. 4, p. 515-529, nombre de pages : 15, Références bibliographiques : 2 p.

Date :
2009

Editeur :
Pays édition : Royaume-Uni, Chichester, Wiley

Langue :
Anglais