It has used two nuclear techniques to characterize soil erosion.
Fallout radionuclides such as caesium-137 (Cs137), lead-210 (Pb210) and beryllium-7 (Be7) are used to assess soil erosion and sedimentation processes. These radionuclides are strongly fixed to soil particles and are not taken up by plants. During erosion and deposition processes they move with the soil particles and can be used to trace soil redistribution over large areas and extended periods of time.The results in the Kalaw watershed have shown that each hectare of land that lost its forest cover 15 years ago has lost 26 tons of soil every year since, said Cho Cho Win, the research officer who headed the study To read More