I. Garcia Arevalo¹ , F. Villacis Calderon² , C. Robalino² , S. Suarez²

¹Insituto Oceanográfico de la Armada (INOCAR)
²Instituto Oceanografico de la Armada

Abstract:

The IMS radionuclide particulate station at Santa Cruz - Galapagos is located in an area where various oceanographic and atmospheric processes converge. An assessment of the radionuclide activity concentrations in relation to atmospheric and ocean-atmosphere interaction processes serves as reference for temporal analysis of atmospheric processes in the Equatorial East Pacific. With this regard, activity concentrations of 7Be and 212Pb were continuously measured using HPGe high resolution gamma spectrometry. Daily and monthly data collected from June 2017 to December 2018 are presented and discussed in this study by means of statistical analysis of radionuclide activity concentration, atmospheric parameters and ocean-atmosphere interaction indices. The results showed less variable values of 7Be concentration over wet season, as well as, higher concentrations during the season transition month and lower values at the end of the wet season. The analysis of 212Pb distribution revealed clear seasonal behavior, with minimum activity concentrations during dry season and maximum values during wet season. Moreover, each radionuclide showed significant correlation with atmospheric parameters and climate indices. This poster summarizes the baseline of activity concentration of 7Be and 212Pb and its response and interaction with atmospheric and ocean-atmosphere interaction processes over the Galapagos Islands and the Ecuadorian coast.