A study of the Rn-222 flux from soil in the U mineralised belt at Jaduguda

This study presents a quantitative estimation of the Rn-222 contributing po tentials and effects of meteorological parameters on the Rn-222 flux from n atural soil in the U mineralised belt at Jaduguda, India. The soil Rn-222 f lux (i) has a geometric mean (chi(g)) of 0.05 Bq m(-2) s(-1) with geometric standard deviation (sigma(g)) of 1.97, (ii) ascribes a 30-58% higher value in the afternoon compared to the forenoon, (iii) assumes a representative value at night and the morning before sunrise, (iv) exhibits irregular seas onal trends, (v) shows a positive linear correlation (correlation coefficie nt, gamma = 0.76) with ambient temperature, and (vi) is markedly attenuated by precipitation. There exists a positive correlation (gamma = 0.79) betwe en Rn-222 flux and ambient Rn-222 levels. The ratios of atmospheric Rn-222 concentrations to Rn-222 Aux, assuming a chi(g) of 1090 Bq m(-3) per Bq m(- 2) s(-1), can serve as an index to predict the overall atmospheric Rn-222 c oncentration in the adjoining environment. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. A ll rights reserved.