Continuous measurements of outdoor {sup 222}Rn concentrations for three years at one location in Colorado

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1999 · Health Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-199904000-00011· OSTI ID:332719

Borak, T B; Baynes, S A ^[1]

---

1. Colorado State Univ., Ft. Collins, CO (United States). Dept. of Radiological Health Sciences

Measurements were made of {sup 222}Rn concentrations outdoors in Ft. Collins, Colorado, using a continuously sampling scintillation flask between January 1993 and December 1995. These data were analyzed for hourly, daily, and seasonal variations. The average {sup 222}Rn concentration at 1 m above the ground was 18 {+-} 10 Bq m{sup {minus}3} with a geometric mean of 15 Bq m{sup {minus}3} and a geometric standard deviation of 1.7. Hourly averaged data indicated a diurnal pattern with the outdoor {sup 222}Rn concentration reaching a maximum in the early morning between 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. and a broad minimum between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. in the afternoon. An analysis also indicated that the outdoor {sup 222}Rn concentrations were consistently lowest during the spring (March and April) and highest during the late summer (July--September).

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-87ER60581
• OSTI ID: 332719
• Journal Information: Health Physics, Journal Name: Health Physics Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 76; ISSN HLTPAO; ISSN 0017-9078
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
COLORADO
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADON 222
SEASONAL VARIATIONS