sup 222 Rn, sup 222 Rn progeny and sup 220 Rn progeny as atmospheric tracers of air masses at the Mauno Loa Observatory

Technical Report · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6704676· OSTI ID:6704676

Hutter, A R; George, A C; Maiello, M L; Fisenne, I M; Larsen, R J; Beck, H L; Wilson, F C

{sup 222}Rn, {sup 222}Rn progeny and {sup 220}Rn progeny concentrations in air were measured at the Mauna Loa Observatory (MLO) in Hawaii during March 1989 in order to investigate the feasibility of using them as atmospheric tracers to help determine local air mass flow patterns. Charcoal traps, cooled to dry ice temperatures, were used to collect {sup 222}Rn, which was subsequently measured in pulse ionization chambers at the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML). {sup 222}Rn progeny and {sup 220}Rn progeny for 37 samples were measured at the Observatory by sampling high volumes of air through filters, which were counted for up to 11 h in alpha scintillation counters. Individual progeny concentrations were calculated using both least squares and maximum likelihood techniques. In general, {sup 222}Rn progeny and {sup 220}Rn progeny concentrations were low when free tropospheric air was present (downslope and tradewind conditions), and consistently higher when surface air from the island broke through the trade wind inversion layer (upslope conditions). The data suggest that {sup 222}Rn, {sup 222}Rn progeny, or {sup 220}Rn progeny monitoring may provide new and useful information to help indicate the different air flow patterns present at MLO. 17 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: USDOE Environmental Measurements Lab., New York, NY (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/ER
• OSTI ID: 6704676
• Report Number(s): EML-522; ON: DE90014872
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540130* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR
AIR FILTERS
AIR FLOW
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
DAILY VARIATIONS
DAUGHTER PRODUCTS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EQUIPMENT
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FEDERAL REGION IX
FILTERS
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
GAS FLOW
GASES
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
HAWAII
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIOISOTOPES
RADON 220
RADON 222
RADON ISOTOPES
SAMPLING
SECONDS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
SURFACE AIR
TRACER TECHNIQUES
USA
VARIATIONS