ATMOSPHERIC RADON CONCENTRATION LEVELS

Citation
Mi. Gaso et al., ATMOSPHERIC RADON CONCENTRATION LEVELS, Radiation measurements, 23(1), 1994, pp. 225-230
Citations number
8
Categorie Soggetti
Nuclear Sciences & Tecnology
Journal title
ISSN journal
13504487
Volume
23
Issue
1
Year of publication
1994
Pages
225 - 230
Database
ISI
SICI code
1350-4487(1994)23:1<225:ARCL>2.0.ZU;2-O
Abstract
Systematic monitoring experiments of radon and gamma dose rate in air were conducted at the site of the Nuclear Center of Mexico. The data w ere obtained over a time period of 9 months during which a total solar eclipse took place on 11 July 1991. The outdoor radon concentration w as recorded with a continuous electronic radon monitor and with track detectors. The gamma dose rate was measured with an ionization chamber . The results show that the fluctuations of radon in air are influence d by meteorological seasonal changes. Long-term variations in atmosphe ric radon are correlated accordingly with those of the external temper ature, while short-term radon determinations show an inverse correlati on with temperature. The latter results are also discussed with respec t to drastic short-term seasonal atmospheric changes and to the mild c hanges resulting from the total solar eclipse. The observed gamma dose rate shows geographic and temporal stability.