Vertical mixing and transport processes are studied, and their variation as influenced by atmospheric fine-structure conditions investigated, using data gathered from simultaneous measurements of RaB and RaC concentration in the ambient air at three mountain stations located close to each other horizontally, but at markedly differing levels (730, 1780 and 2960 m). RaB was used as a tracer on account of the high sensitivity to variations of vertical-mixing activity evidenced by RaB abundance figures. Strong inversions between 700 and 2500 m a.s.l. create a 'zero condition' at the higher level, where only 0.1% of the low-level RaB reading obtains; active turbulent mixing, on the other hand, leads to nearly equal RaB readings at the two levels. The vertical gradient of concentration of RaB is used to compute mean vertical-mass-exchange coefficients; the latter are studied in their relation to atmospheric structure characteristics. Statistical studies indicate that the barring effect of inversions is related solely to the magnitude of the inverse temperature gradient. Problems of radioactive equilibrium RaB-RaC are discussed, and the significance of aerosol particle size taken into consideration. © 1969 Birkhäuser-Verlag.
