Field alpha-spectroscopy of radon ( super(222)Rn) and actinon ( super(219)Rn) progeny in soil gas: Locating a radon source

The activities of super(218)Po, super(214)Po and super(211)Bi were determined in samples obtained of soil/gas. Sampling work was taken in Jachymov (Czech Republic) at the outcrop of the Geister-vein,by electrostatic precipitation from filtered soil gas on stainless steel disks.The samples were measu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry 2005-11, Vol.266 (3), p.461-470
Main Authors: Golias, V, Pittauerova, D, Prochazka, R, Triskala, Z
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The activities of super(218)Po, super(214)Po and super(211)Bi were determined in samples obtained of soil/gas. Sampling work was taken in Jachymov (Czech Republic) at the outcrop of the Geister-vein,by electrostatic precipitation from filtered soil gas on stainless steel disks.The samples were measured in a field laboratory using a semi-conductor alpha-spectrometer.The activities of super(218)Po, super(214)Po and super(211)Bi were calculated.Samples taken from active dump material (near-by radon source) exhibited a high super(211)Bi/ super(214)Po ratio, while those of the vein outcrop (a relatively deeper source) had a low ratio.A mathematical model was employed to determine the radon age calculated from the actinon/radon input ratio.This varied in a range of 5.6 to -7.7 seconds.Negative age values are probably caused by the preference for actinon, which rapidly comes into equilibrium with the source of this gas.
ISSN:0236-5731
1588-2780
DOI:10.1007/s10967-005-0932-1