Atmospheric production and transport of 7Be activity by cosmic rays: Modelling with the chemistry-climate model SOCOLv3.0 and comparison with direct measurements

Abstract

<p>We present the first results of modelling of the short-living cosmogenic isotope ⁷Be production, deposition, and transport using the chemistry-climate model SOCOLv_3.0 aimed to study solar-terrestrial interactions and climate changes. We implemented an interactive deposition scheme, &#160;based on gas tracers with and without nudging to the known meteorological fields. Production of ⁷Be was modelled using the 3D time-dependent Cosmic Ray induced Atmospheric Cascade (CRAC) model. The simulations were compared with the real concentrations (activity) and depositions measurements of ⁷Be in the air and water at Finnish stations. We have successfully reproduced and estimated the variability of the cosmogenic isotope ⁷Be produced by the galactic cosmic rays (GCR) on time scales longer than about a month, for the period of 2002&#8211;2008. The agreement between the modelled and measured data is very good (within 12%) providing a solid validation for the ability of the SOCOL CCM to reliably model production, transport, and deposition of cosmogenic isotopes, which is needed for precise studies of cosmic-ray variability in the past.&#160;</p>