METHODS FOR MEASURING THE NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY OF THE ATMOSPHERE

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1961 · Acad. Rep. Populare Romine, Filiala Iasi, Studii Cercetari Stiint., Fiz. Stiinte Tehn.

OSTI ID:4692266

Blanariu, D

The radioactivity of the atmosphere, discovered in 1901 by J. Elster and R. Geitel, is due to the thoron and radon formed by the natural radioactive decay chains. The daughter products of the radioactive gases, being mostly heavy metals, settle on dust particles and form highly mobile aerosols. The equilibrium between the Tn and Rn and their daughters is disturbed near the ground level; RaA reaches equilibrium at 1 to 2m, RaC at a height of 10 to 2Om above ground. The settling time of the naturally radioactive aerosols is about 10 days; this accounts for the low activity of the long-lived products in the atmosphere. The other natural radioactive elements in the atmosphere are C/sup 14/, H/sup 3/, and Be/sup 7/, created by the bombardment of N, R, and O atoms by cosmic radiation. The atmosphere also contains radioactive fission products from atomic explosions. The radioactivity varies frona place to place; over dry land near ground level the average Rn activity is about 10/sup -15/ C/l, the Tn activity 10/sup -17/ C/l. Over the oceans the activity is decreased by about 1 or 2 orders of magnitude. Direct methods, e.g., with ionization chambers, and more often indirect methods are used for measurements. The filtration methods were greatly improved and their efficiency approaches 100%; the electrostatic precipitation presents, however, the advantage of yielding a deposit with a higher activity and being independent of the particle-size spectrum; the possible flow rate may exceed the 50 m/sup 3//hr which is the maximum with filters. (111 references) (TTT)

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-17-030681
• OSTI ID: 4692266
• Journal Information: Acad. Rep. Populare Romine, Filiala Iasi, Studii Cercetari Stiint., Fiz. Stiinte Tehn., Journal Name: Acad. Rep. Populare Romine, Filiala Iasi, Studii Cercetari Stiint., Fiz. Stiinte Tehn. Vol. Vol: 12
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: Rumanian

Related Subjects

ADSORPTION
AEROSOLS
ATMOSPHERE
BERYLLIUM 7
BISMUTH 214
CARBON 14
COSMIC RADIATION
DECAY
DISTRIBUTION
DUSTS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTROSTATICS
FALLOUT
FILTERS
FISSION PRODUCTS
GAS FLOW
GEOLOGY, MINERALOGY, AND METEOROLOGY
HELIUM 3
HYDROGEN
IONIZATION CHAMBERS
LEVELS
MEASURED VALUES
METALS
NITROGEN
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
OXYGEN
PARTICLES
POLONIUM 218
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIOACTIVITY
RADON 220
RADON 222
SAMPLING