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Ratio of Protactinium 231 to Thorium 230 in sediments explained.

Ratio of Protactinium 231 to Thorium 230 in sediments explained.
Ratio of Protactinium 231 to Thorium 230 in sediments explained.
Ratio of Protactinium 231 to Thorium 230 in sediments explained.
Ratio of Protactinium 231 to Thorium 230 in sediments explained.
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525399
Doucette, Jayne H.
Ratio of Protactinium 231 to Thorium 230 in sediments explained.
Illustration
01/01/1997
Boundary Scavenging.jpg
Date is approximate.
Caption from Oceanus magazine, Vol. 40, No. 2, Pg. 31:
Boundary scavenging. Thorium 230 is rapidly scavenged, that is, adsorbed onto settling particles and removed to the underlying sediments, shortly after its formation from the decay of U-234. Because of its short residence time in the water column, very little thorium 230 can be transported laterally before removal from seawater. Protactinium 231 is less rapidly scavenged from the water column and is laterally transported towards regions of higher productivity where particle settling flux and scavenging rates are higher. As a result, the ratio of protactinium 231 to thorium 230 in sediments underlying more productive
regions is higher than in sediments underlying less productive regions.
Illustration by Jayne Doucette
© Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
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