Cosmic Ray-Produced Radionuclides as Tracers of Atmospheric Precipitation Processes

Abstract
Through recent developments in instrumental analysis it is now possible to measure with good precision the rainwater concentrations of five short-lived radionuclides which are produced by cosmic ray spallation of atmospheric argon. These measurements provide a method for studying the in-cloud nucleation times and aerosol scavenging efficiencies, and promise to provide information onshort-term processes which occur in rain and snow formation.