Origin and Production of Cosmogenic Radioisotopes

Abstract

The Earth’s atmosphere is penetrated by a continuous flux of charged particles, constituting of protons and nuclei of various elements of cosmic origin. Consequently, a great variety of radioisotopes, referred to as cosmogenic, are produced due to the interaction of these particles with the atomic nuclei of elements which constitute the atmosphere. Transported by air masses, radioisotopes are abundant over the whole gaseous sphere of the Earth. Being mixed with atmospheric moisture, a proportion falls over the Earth’s surface, to enter the hydrological cycle as components of surface waters, soil-ground moisture, and groundwaters. Another proportion becomes a component of ocean and inland basin waters through exchange at the surface of water reservoir. Finally, the Earth’s biosphere plays an active role in exchange processes, which are of great importance for some cosmogenic isotopes.