Intrusion of Fukushima-derived radiocaesium into subsurface water due to formation of mode waters in the North Pacific

Abstract

The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011 released radiocaesium ( ¹³⁷Cs and ¹³⁴Cs) into the North Pacific Ocean. Meridional transects of the vertical distribution of radiocaesium in seawater were measured along 147 °E and 155 °E in October–November 2012, 19 months after the accident. These measurements revealed subsurface peaks in radiocaesium concentrations at locations corresponding to two mode waters, Subtropical Mode Water and Central Mode Water. Mode water is a layer of almost vertically homogeneous water found over a large geographical area. Here we show that repeated formation of mode water during the two winter seasons after the Fukushima accident and subsequent outcropping into surface water transported radiocaesium downward and southward to subtropical regions of the North Pacific. The total amount of Fukushima-derived ¹³⁴Cs within Subtropical Mode Water, decay-corrected to April 2011, was estimated to be 4.2 ± 1.1 PBq in October–November 2012. This amount of ¹³⁴Cs corresponds to 22–28% of the total amount of ¹³⁴Cs released to the Pacific Ocean.