Use of gamma radionuclides as tracers to investigate transport of sediments in the Bay of Cádiz

Abstract

In this paper, the use of 226-Ra and 232-Th as natural tracers to investigate transport of sediments in the Bay of Cádiz is shown. The distribution charts of these radionuclides in the Bay have been made and the activity isolines maps answer to a model influenced by the dominant bottom currents and the granulometry. However, 40-K is not a good tracer in this Bay due to the presence of seasonally support sources which makes that the 40-K distribution can not be considered simply a reflect of the different type of sediments as in the case of the 226-Ra and 232-Th. The distribution of 137-Cs reflects the intense harbour traffic and the anthropogenic influence in the zone.