A 2-PARTICLE-SIZE MODEL AND MEASUREMENTS OF RADON PROGENY NEAR THE EARTHS SURFACE

Citation
Sd. Schery et Pt. Wasiolek, A 2-PARTICLE-SIZE MODEL AND MEASUREMENTS OF RADON PROGENY NEAR THE EARTHS SURFACE, JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES, 98(D12), 1993, pp. 22915-22923
Citations number
32
Categorie Soggetti
Metereology & Atmospheric Sciences
Volume
98
Issue
D12
Year of publication
1993
Pages
22915 - 22923
Database
ISI
SICI code
Abstract
Measurements of radon progeny in the attached-to-aerosol and unattache d-to-aerosol states were made in central New Mexico. Simultaneous meas urements of attached and unattached progeny at 0.2 and 2 m were carrie d out over a range of meteorological and terrain conditions. The ratio of the average progeny concentrations at 2.2 to 0.2 m was 1.06 for to tal progeny and 1.35 for unattached progeny, indicating a net downward flux, with the unattached progeny dominating removal to the Earth's s urface. Progeny/parent activity ratios greater than 1 were clearly det ected (for example, at 0.2 m, the average Pb-214/Po-218 ratio was 1.43 +/- 0.10), providing partial support for some previous observations. A two-particle-size model for radon progeny is able to account for the observed gradients, progeny/parent activity ratios greater than 1, an d some trends in the experimental measurements as a function of meteor ological conditions.