Ž . Geomorphology 40 2001 185–204 www.elsevier.comrlocatergeomorph The role of soil erosion and fluvial processes in the post-fallout redistribution of Chernobyl-derived caesium-137: a case study of the Lapki catchment, Central Russia A.V. Panin a , D.E. Walling b , V.N. Golosov a a Department of Geography, Moscow State UniÕersity, GSP-3, Vorob’eÕy Gory, Moscow 119899, Russia b Department of Geography, UniÕersity of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4RJ, UK Received 8 May 2000; received in revised form 1 February 2001; accepted 2 February 2001 Abstract The central area of the Russian Plain received substantial amounts Cs-137 fallout as a result of the Chernobyl accident in 1986, with inventories exceeding 40 kBq m y2 in many of the areas close to Chernobyl. Concern over the longer-term fate of this contamination has focused attention on the need to predict the post-fallout redistribution of the radiocaesium and, thus, future changes in the spatial distribution of contamination in the landscape. Since radiocaesium reaching the land surface as fallout is rapidly and strongly adsorbed by soil and sediment particles, any attempt to predict its post-fallout redistribution must focus on erosion and sediment delivery processes and must rely heavily on a knowledge of the geomorphological processes involved. This paper reports a detailed investigation of post-fallout Cs-137 redistribution in the 2.18-km 2 Lapki catchment in the Middle-Russian Upland, which has required consideration of soil erosion processes, sediment delivery pathways, sediment delivery ratios and sediment sinks. The time elapsed since the Chernobyl accident is currently insufficient to result in significant reduction of Cs-137 inventories in eroding areas, but areas of deposition on both the lower slopes and on the balka sides and bottoms are already marked by significant increases in Cs-137 inventories. The results obtained emphasise that any attempt to develop meaningful predictions of the longer-term redistribution of Chernobyl-de- rived Cs-137 fallout within the Russian Plain must be based on a sound and detailed understanding of the linkage between the slopes and the balka systems and the fate of sediment entering the balka systems. q 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Chernobyl; Caesium-137; Redistribution; Fluvial processes; Sediment; Soil erosion; Deposition 1. Introduction The Chernobyl accident resulted in the fallout of Ž . ca. 64 PBq of caesium-137 Cs-137 over Europe Ž . and adjacent regions De Cort et al., 1998 . In many areas close to Chernobyl, Cs-137 inventories after the accident were in excess of 40 kBq m y2 and, therefore, more than an order of magnitude greater than the pre-existing bomb fallout inventories. Con- cern over the contamination associated with these high levels of Cs-137 fallout initially directed atten- tion to documenting the magnitude and spatial distri- Ž bution of Chernobyl-derived Cs-137 fallout Russian . Federal Service of Geodesy and Cartography, 1993 , 0169-555Xr01r$ - see front matter q 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Ž . PII: S0169-555X 01 00043-5