Cosmogenic 36Cl in karst waters from Bunker Cave North Western Germany – A tool to derive local evapotranspiration?

Abstract

Monthly rain and drip waters were collected over a period of 10months at Bunker Cave, Germany. The concentration of 36Cl and the 36Cl/Cl-ratios were determined by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), while stable (35+37)Cl concentrations were measured with both, ion chromatography (IC) and AMS. The measured 36Cl-fluxes of (0.97±0.57)×104atomscm−2month−1 (0.97atomsm−2month−1) in precipitation were on average twice as high as the global mean atmospheric production rate. This observation is consistent with the local fallout pattern, which is characterized by a maximum at mid-latitudes. The stable chloride concentration in drip waters (ranging from 13.2 to 20.9mg/l) and the 36Cl-concentrations (ranging from 16.9×106 to 35.3×106atoms/l) are a factor of 7 and 10 above the values expected from empirical evapotranspiration formulas and the rain water concentrations, respectively. Most likely the additional stable Cl is due to human impact from a nearby urban conglomeration. The large 36Cl-enrichment is attributed to the local evapotranspiration effect, which appears to be higher than the calculated values and to additional bomb-derived 36Cl from nuclear weapons tests in the 1950s and 60s stored in the soil above the cave. In the densely vegetated soil above Bunker Cave, 36Cl seems not to behave as a completely conservative tracer. The bomb derived 36Cl might be retained in the soil due to uptake by minerals and organic material and is still being released now. Based on our data, the residence time of 36Cl in the soil is estimated to be about 75–85years.