Work

Estimating soil redistribution rates with the RadEro model: A physically based compartmental model for 137Cs analysis in an R package

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Quantifying soil redistribution rates cannot be fully addressed by conventional methodologies. Fallout radionuclides (FRNs), particularly 137 Cs, serve as reliable tracers of soil movement. Numerous models have emerged to estimate soil erosion rates using FRNs, though a versatile, physically-based 137 Cs model remains absent. We present RadEro, a model designed to estimate soil redistribution rates from 137 Cs inventories in both ploughed and undisturbed soils, using sectioned or bulk soil profiles based on the mass balance model by Soto and Navas (2004, 2008). The model is built within an R package that offers clear plotting and presentation of results while maintaining a user-friendly format and open-source code. RadEro model accounts for annual 137 Cs fallout, radioactive decay, stoniness through fine fraction density and effective volume of 137 Cs and vertical diffusion processes. The RadEro model, validated through sectioned and bulk soil profiles, demonstrates high reliability in simulating experimental inventories, enabling effective land management decisions.

Source: Environmental Modelling & Software

DOI: 10.1016/j.envsoft.2025.106551

Authors: Arturo Catalá, Borja Latorre, Leticia Gaspar, Ana Navas

Institution: Estación Experimental de Aula Dei

Language: English

Topic: Soil erosion and sediment transport

Subfield: Soil Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Life on land

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,500