The Influence of Meteorological Parameters and Other Factors on Soil Radon Dynamics

• Published in: IOP conference series. Materials Science and Engineering 2016-08, Vol.142 (1), p.12051
• Main Authors: Yakovleva, V S, Nagorsky, P M, Kondratyeva, A G, Mishina, N V
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Correlation analysis; Cross correlation; Diurnal variations; Earthquake prediction; Flux density; Fourier analysis; Meteorological parameters; Precipitation; Radiation; Radon levels; Soil dynamics; Soils
• ISSN: 1757-8981; 1757-899X
• DOI: 10.1088/1757-899X/142/1/012051

The paper presents the results of the research in the degree of the effect of space weather meteorological parameters and factors on the dynamics of soil radon levels and α- and β-radiation flux densities in a seismically passive region. The cross-correlation analysis showed a significant correlation of β-radiation flux density with temperature in summer, and no correlation in winter. A significant relation between α- and β-radiation flux densities and pressure within the intra-annual range was not observed. The investigation of the high-intensity precipitation effect on radon volumetric activity and α- and β-radiation flux densities showed their abnormal increase. The dependence of the anomaly duration on the depth was revealed. The abnormal jumps in α- and β-radiation flux densities data series occur in the snow-melting periods as well. Low-intensity precipitations significantly violate the standard "diurnal variations" of α- and β-radiation soil fluxes and radon volumetric activity. Fourier analysis showed the diurnal (24 hours) and semidiurnal (12 hours) harmonics for the observed radiation values at a depth of 0.5 m. The obtained results can be used for interpretation of the data on the soil radon monitoring in order to predict earthquakes, etc.