THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF HIGH DILUTION ON-STREAM ISOTOPIC TRACERS. (In Situ Tracer Project). Annual Report
Year: 1960
Type: report
Abstract: The investigation was designed to follow five broad approaches to the development of on-stream in situ tracer methods, principles, and techniques, which include theoretical studies, beta and gamma counting, and electronics, with emphasis on transistor principles and applications. Phase I was to identify and evaluate previous work accomplished in stream tracer studies and relate present research and development thereto. Phase II envisioned exploration, indepth technical analysis, and development of methods and principles for the application of in situ tracers, to problems such as (a) tracing the sources of stream pollution from civil and industrial waste disposals; (b) the use of nataral radiocarbon as an indication of the source of organic pollutants; (c) tracing the in-stream movements and attendant chemical and physical changes of certain waste compounds upon dischargs to the river; (d) tracing the machanisms of formation and of subsequent stream pollution by natural wastes such as the sulfur acids from coal mine drainage; (e) tracing river flow patterns, and in particular the measurement of longitudinal eddy diffusion coefficients and lateral mixing; and (f) relating the methods and techniques to industrially oriented problems. When necessary to demonstrate feasibility, laboratory mock- ups of the systems were applied in appropriate field tests. In particular, laboratory mock-ups of the low-level counting systems were applied to the feasibility demonstrations of source identification of certain pollutants of ths Ohio River. The theoretical discussions include low-level counting theory and the development of nomographs, a generalized case of large-scale pulse injection and planning nomographs for tracer experiments, including design principles for high-dilution tracer applications in rivers and streams. (auth)
DOI: 10.2172/4069143
Authors: W Johnston, A Findeis, M Vestal, H Fechter, P Pontius, K Benford, D River, M Palmer
Language: English
Subfield: Water Science and Technology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2214181287