THE PROSPECTS FOR APPLICATION OF NEUTRON-FRAGMENT RADIOGRAPHY IN STUDY OF LOCAL DISTRIBUTION OF URANIUM IN THE BAIKAL SEDIMENTS FOR PALEOCLIMATIC RECONSTRUCTIONS

Abstract

Data on the local distribution of uranium throughout the bottom sediments of Lake Baikal (Akademichesky Ridge, VER-95-2, St 3BC, 53°113′12″N, 108°25′01″E) have been first obtained using neutron-fragment radiography. Uranium is present in the sediments in various forms: evenly dispersed, in clays and diatoms; microand macroinclusions in highly radioactive minerals (uranium concentrators); and evenly dispersed, at microsites, with its contents 10-50 times exceeding those in clays and diatoms. Relative and absolute concentrations of uranium can be reliably determined in virtually any mineral. The uranium distribution throughout the Baikal bottom sediments shows a regular character. Using (n,f)-radiography for studying the sediments provides new information necessary for paleoclimatic reconstructions.