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Determination of sedimentation rates and life of Kodaikanal Lake, South India, using radiometric dating (210Pb and 137Cs) techniques

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Abstract

A study describes the use of natural (210Pb) and anthropogenic (137Cs) radiometric dating techniques to determine sedimentation rates and age of Kodaikanal Lake. The core sediment from 46 cm was collected and analyzed for 210Pb and 137Cs using an Alpha spectrometer 7200-04 and a Gamma-ray spectrometer GC-3520. Bathymetry studies aided in selecting a representative sample location and measuring the lake's underwater depth, with maximum and mean depths of 11 and 3.38 m, respectively. The maximum and minimum dry bulk density ranged from 0.57 to 1.05 g/cm3 (mean of 0.73 g/cm3), and the weight percentage of porosity collected sediment sample ranged from 60.33 to 78.63 wt.% (mean of 72.32 wt.%). This study determined the sediment grain size and the percentages of sand, silt, and clay. The findings indicate that the core sediment samples contain 56.05 to 69.62 wt.% (mean of 63.21 wt.%) sand, 28.03 to 41.71 wt.% (mean of 34.55 wt.%) silt, and 1.81 to 3.98 wt.% (mean of 2.34 wt.%) clay. The 210Pb technique was used to assess a model of time changes in the deposit for geochronology studies in core sediments. The sedimentation rate depended on the consistent rate supply (CRS) of the 210Pb model. The 210Pb model was confirmed using 137Cs radioactivity released into the global fallout after nuclear testing (1963) and the Chernobyl accident (1986). The depth concentration of 210Pb ranged from 3.89 ± 0.1 to 15.4 ± 1.6 Bq/kg, with a mean of 210Pb concentration is 7.23 ± 0.86 Bq/ kg. The 137Cs radioactivity varied from the upper and lower peaks that appeared clearly at depths of 16 and 29 cm, respectively, with successive phases of 18.68 ± 1.36 and 22.04 ± 1.4 Bq/kg. According to the CRS model, the mean sedimentation rate was 0.51 ± 0.14 cm/year, and the core age was 86 years. The 137Cs have likely been the mean sedimentation rate of 0.535 ± 0.07 cm/year and 83 years. The evaluated life of Kodaikanal Lake as an average of 210Pb and 137Cs sedimentation rate since 1933 is about 650 ± 24 years and 582.75 ± 19 years.

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Data availability

All datasets used or analyzed in this study are available upon request from the lead and corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Nuclear Hydrology Laboratory, National Institute of Hydrology in Roorkee, India, for supporting them with this study at various stages. We thank Annamalai University for giving a great opportunity for this research work. In addition, the helpful suggestions of the editors and anonymous reviewers significantly improved the manuscript.

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge the Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence (PURSE) and Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), (Grand No. SR/S4/ES-384/2008 Dated:13/07/2010), Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, for its financial support in the form of a research grant.

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  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, 608 002, India

    Balamurugan Palani, Sivaprakasam Vasudevan, Thirunavukkarasu Ramkumar, Selvaganapathi Rajendiran & Sathyamoorthy Gunasekaran

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  1. Balamurugan Palani
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Correspondence to Balamurugan Palani.

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Palani, B., Vasudevan, S., Ramkumar, T. et al. Determination of sedimentation rates and life of Kodaikanal Lake, South India, using radiometric dating (210Pb and 137Cs) techniques. Environ Earth Sci 82, 228 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-023-10896-1

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