During the KH-80-2 Hakuho-Maru cruise in 1980, four sediment cores were obtained from abyssal basins of the western North Pacific. The cores were analyzed for U, Th,
231Pa,
226Ra,
210Pb,
239, 240Pu and
137Cs. The sediment accumulation rates estimated from
230Th
XS and
231Pa
XS profiles yielded 0.4 to 1 cm/ky. The particle mixing coefficient, D
B for top ∼10cm was also estimated from excess
210Pb profiles to range from 0.1 to 0.6cm
2/y. Application of a mixing model with two different modes of input (pulse and continuous) showed limited success in reproducing the observed
239, 240Pu and
137Cs. The D
B values based on
239, 240Pu and
137Cs data and a continuous input model, however, are roughly equal to those based on
210Pb
XS except for one core showing subsurface maxima for the fallout nuclides. Generally, the fallout nuclides exist in detectable amounts down to 10-20cm from the surface suggesting relatively rapid transport of these nuclides through burrows. These nuclides may be associated with surface derived, large particles of which food values are high, so that they are segregated and transported by benthic organisms to deeper depths causing separation from
210Pb associated with fine particles. The
210Pb inventory varies considerably from core to core, suggesting patchiness of
210Pb deposition on the sea-floor.
226Ra fluxes are also highly variable depending on location, suggesting inhomogeneous supply from the ocean bottom to the overlying water. The input of
226Ra from Northwest Pacific sediments appears to be small compared to the radioactive decay of
226Ra in the overlying water column. This requires net lateral transport of
226Ra from other regions to the western North Pacific.
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