Mapping the geogenic radon potential in Germany

Kemski, J.; Siehl, A.; Stegemann, R; Valdivia-Manchego, M.

doi:10.1016/s0048-9697(01)00696-9

Cited by 148 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…The Fichtelgebirge is known for its enhanced background radioactive radiation levels. In particular, radon is elevated, reaching soil gas activity concentrations of up to 4000 kBq m −3 (Kemski et al, 2001;Lüers et al, 2007). As the primary sources for atmospheric ions are radon decay, gamma radiation and cosmic radiation , ion concentrations and ionization rates Q are expected to be elevated at the Waldstein site.…”

Section: Ion Concentrations and Ionization Rates At Waldsteinmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ion – particle interactions during particle formation and growth at a coniferous forest site in central Europe

et al. 2014

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Abstract. In this work, we examined the interaction of ions and neutral particles during atmospheric new particle formation (NPF) events. The analysis is based on simultaneous field measurements of atmospheric ions and total particles using a neutral cluster and air ion spectrometer (NAIS) across the diameter range 2-25 nm. The Waldstein research site is located in a spruce forest in NE Bavaria, Southern Germany, known for enhanced radon concentrations, presumably leading to elevated ionization rates. Our observations show that the occurrence of the ion nucleation mode preceded that of the total particle nucleation mode during all analyzed NPF events. The time difference between the appearance of 2 nm ions and 2 nm total particles was typically about 20 to 30 min. A cross correlation analysis showed a rapid decrease of the time difference between the ion and total modes during the growth process. Eventually, this time delay vanished when both ions and total particles did grow to larger diameters. Considering the growth rates of ions and total particles separately, total particles exhibited enhanced growth rates at diameters below 15 nm. This observation cannot be explained by condensation or coagulation, because these processes would act more efficiently on charged particles compared to neutral particles. To explain our observations, we propose a mechanism including recombination and attachment of continuously present cluster ions with the ion nucleation mode and the neutral nucleation mode, respectively.

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Section: Ion Concentrations and Ionization Rates At Waldsteinmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ion – particle interactions during particle formation and growth at a coniferous forest site in central Europe

et al. 2014

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“…For this reason, a soil radon gas mapping may have various different classifications of radon concentrations. In Germany, Kemski et al (2001) divided radon concentrations into 4 categories such as: a) low (<10 kBq/m 3 ); b) medium (10-100 kBq/m 3 ; c) increased (100 -500kB/m 3 ) and d) high (>500 kBq/m 3 ). While in Hong Kong used is 3 category scale as follows a) low (<10 kBq/m 3 ); b) medium (10 -100 kBq/m 3 ) and c) high (>100 kBq/m 3 ) (Tung et al, 2013).…”

Section: Relationship Between Radon Concentration and Fault Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Study on active tectonic faults using soil radon gas method in Viet Nam

et al. 2017

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This paper presents the results of soil radon gas measurement in three areas, including Thac Ba and Song Tranh 2 hydropower plants, and the planned locations of the nuclear power plants Ninh Thuan 1&2 using solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTD) with the aim of clarifying the activity of tectonic faults in these areas. The activity of tectonic faults was assessed through radon activity index KRn (the ratio between anomaly and threshold), which was divided into 5 levels as follows ultra-high (K Rn > 10), high (10≥K Rn > 5), high (5≥K Rn > 3), medium (3≥K Rn > 2) and low (K Rn ≤2). Soil radon gas measurement results showed that in the radon gas concentrations in the Thac Ba hydropower plant area ranged from 72 Bq/m 3 to 273.133 Bq/m 3 and maximum radon activity index KRn reached 9.75 (high level). High K Rn indexes show Chay River fault active in recent time and the sub-meridian distribution of Rn anomalies suggested a right-slip motion of the fault. Rn concentrations in the Ninh Thuan 1&2 areas ranged from 6 Bq/m 3 to 52.627 Bq/m 3 , however, the K Rn indexes were mostly low (K Rn ≤3) and the highest value was only 3.42, suggesting that expression of activity of the tectonic faults in this region is not clear, even no expression of fault activity. In the Song Tranh 2 hydropower plant and adjacent areas, radon concentrations ranged from 29 Bq/m 3 to 77.729 Bq/m 3 and maximum K Rn index was 20.16 (ultra-high level). The faults having clearer activity expression are Hung Nhuong -Ta Vy, Song Tra Bong and some high order faults, especially the northwest -southeast segments of these faults or their intersections with the northwest -southeast faults. In addition, the high values K Rn in the mentioned intersections can be evidenced for the activeness of northwest -southeast faults at the present time. The studies on active faults using soil radon gas method were performed in areas with very different geological and structural features, but the results are well consistent with the results of previous investigations obtained by other methods. It confirmed the effectiveness and capability of soil radon gas geochemistry applying to study active tectonic faults.

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“…On the contrary, the soil-gas radon concentration, which generally ranges from several thousand or hundred thousand Bqm -3 , is proposed to be the major source of indoor radon for lowrise buildings (Kemski et al 2001). The linkage between soil-gas and indoor radon concentration has been studied heavily in the past decades, including a number of analytical and numerical radon entry models developed to predict the indoor radon level from radon-bearing soil gas (Gadgil 1992).…”

Section: Development Of Radon Potentialmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, the soil-gas radon concentration can vary inversely with the soil permeability. Currently, most of the developed radon potential systems are thus based on soil-gas radon concentration and soil permeability as key parameters (Kemski et al 2001;Reimer 1992;Buttafuoco et al 2007). The accuracy of modern radon potential maps would be improved but with limitation on extent of mapping on the ground that experimental work involved in estimating these parameters often requires a higher degree of knowledge and resources.…”

Section: Development Of Radon Potentialmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of soil radon potential in Hong Kong, China, using a 10-point evaluation system

et al. 2012

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Radon and its progenies have been ranked second of being responsible for lung cancer in humans. Hong Kong has four major groups of uranium-rich plutonic and volcanic rocks and is suffering from radon emanated therefrom. However, there is a lack of radon potential maps in Hong Kong to resolve the spatial distribution of radonprone areas. A ten-point radon potential system was developed in Germany (2005) to predict radon potential using both the in situ geogenic and geographic parameters under hierarchical ranking. Primarily, the ten-point system requires the desk study of the geological environment of sampling sites, which has an advantage of saving resources and manpower in extensive radon potential mapping over the traditional soil radon concentration sampling method. This paper presents a trial of radon potential mapping in Hong Kong to further verify the system. Despite some slight departures, the system demonstrates an acceptable correlation with soil radon concentrations (R 2 = 0.62-0.66) from 768 samples of mainly intermediate radon potential. Hong Kong has a mean soil radon concentrations of 58.9 kBqm -3 , while the radon potential from the ten-point system achieves an average of 4.93 out of 10 over the territory. The vicinity of fault zone showed high soil radon concentrations and potentials, which were conducive to uranium enrichment and rapid soil-gas diffusion near faults. High uranium-238 content in soil was found to cause high soil radon concentration with a large R 2 , 0.84. The Jurassic granite and volcanic crystal tuff cover more than 85 % of the whole Hong Kong area, and they show relatively high radon concentrations (Geometric mean 83 and 49 kBqm -3 , respectively) which are associated with their high uranium contents (Geometric mean 234 and 197 Bqkg -1 , respectively). While indoor radon concentration is an important factor for radon risk assessment, this study has not considered the correlation between indoor radon concentration and radon potential. The reason is that almost all buildings in Hong Kong are high-rise buildings where indoor radon concentrations are governed only by the radium content in the building materials and the ventilation conditions.

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Mapping the geogenic radon potential in Germany

Cited by 148 publications

References 2 publications

Ion – particle interactions during particle formation and growth at a coniferous forest site in central Europe

Ion – particle interactions during particle formation and growth at a coniferous forest site in central Europe

Study on active tectonic faults using soil radon gas method in Viet Nam

Assessment of soil radon potential in Hong Kong, China, using a 10-point evaluation system

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