Behaviour of {sup 222}Rn at cryogenic temperatures

Journal Article · Wed Apr 27 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3579574· OSTI ID:21513198

Lindemann, Sebastian; Simgen, Hardy ^[1]; Zuzel, Grzegorz ^[2]

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1. Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Postfach 103980, D-69029 Heidelberg (Germany)
2. Jagellonian University, Institute of Physics, Reymonta 4, 30-059 Krakow (Poland)

The behaviour of radon in a cryogenic environment is still not well known. Therefore, measured radon emanation rates at room temperature cannot be translated directly to cryogenic conditions. In this work we present a table-top experiment that provides a direct way of determining the behaviour of {sup 222}Rn in cryogenic argon and helium at liquid argon temperature. We observe an increased emanation rate of {sup 222}Rn atoms to liquid argon compared to the rate observed to helium at room temperature. We also find that {sup 222}Rn atoms stick to cold metal surfaces when emanated to helium at liquid argon temperature but partly distribute in the liquid when emanated to cryogenic argon. Concluding, we give possible interpretations of the observations.

• OSTI ID: 21513198
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1338, Issue 1; Conference: LRT-2010: Topical workshop on low radioactivity techniques, Sudbury (Canada), 28-29 Aug 2010; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3579574; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ARGON
ATOMS
CRYOGENICS
GAMMA RADIATION
HELIUM
LIQUIDS
METALS
RADON
RADON 222
SURFACES
THERMODYNAMICS
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FLUIDS
GASES
HEAVY NUCLEI
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
NONMETALS
NUCLEI
RADIATIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
RADON ISOTOPES
RARE GASES