Mapping the radon potential of the United States: Examples from the Appalachians

Radon: exploring the log-normal mystery

“…Indoor GR, municipality LN Giannardi et al, 2001 Indoor IT, Toscana LN assumed; Bayes correction Gunby et al, 1993 Indoor UK Approximately LN if 4 Bq/m 3 outdoor concentration subtracted. Gundersen and Schumann, 1996 Indoor USA "When indoor data are viewed at broad scales such as nationally, regionally, or by state, the data tends to be log-normally distributed. When data are viewed for more homogeneous units such as geologic units, or smaller spatial units, such as cities and counties, the data tends to cluster around a value or several values and tends not to be LN distributed."…”

Mapping of the geogenic radon potential in France to improve radon risk management: methodology and first application to region Bourgogne

“…Geological information is often still available without complementary investigation in the field. Therefore, an alternative and indirect method, geologically based, is sometimes used to derive maps of radon-prone areas (Appleton and Ball, 2002;Apte et al, 1999;Barnet and Fojtíková, 2006;Gundersen and Schumann, 1996;Kemski et al, 2001Kemski et al, , 2009Barnet, 2001, 2002;Miles and Appleton, 2005;Zhu et al, 2001).…”

“…Information on geological features such as lithological variations and geochemistry is of primary importance in radon mapping (Ball and Miles, 1993;Barnet, 2004;Demongeot, 1997;Gundersen, 1991;Gundersen et al, 1992;Ielsch, 2001;Ielsch et al, 1999Ielsch et al, , 2001Ielsch et al, , 2002Ielsch and Torrenti, 2004;Kemski et al, 2005;Kies et al, 1996;Popit and Vaupotic, 2002;Quindos et al, 2004Quindos et al, , 2008Shi et al, 2006;Sundal et al, 2004). Large-scale variability is presumed to be influenced by additional factors such as faults, shears and thrusts (Ciotoli et al, 1998;Gundersen, 1991;Gundersen and Schumann, 1996;King, 1993;King et al, 1996;Lombardi and Reimer, 1990;Toutain and Baubron, 1999) and/or local uranium (U) mineralisation. However, the soil constitutes an interface cover between the solid geology (basement rocks) and the atmosphere and may also influence the vertical radon migration, according to its permeability.…”

Radon in Air and Water

“…In the United States, houses with basements typically have higher indoor radon than those with slab-on-grade construction because basements tend to have more entry points for radon and a lower internal pressure relative to the soil than non-basement homes. Architecture type is one factor within the Radon Index Matrix used to estimate geological radon potential in the United States (Gundersen & Schumann, 1996).…”