Spatial and temporal variations of soil gas {sup 220}RN and {sup 222}RN at two sites in New Jersey
- Department of Energy, New York, NY (United States)
Soil gas {sup 220}Rn and {sup 222}Rn concentrations have been measured at sites in Chester and Aberdeen. New Jersey. Two years of {sup 222}Rn and {sup 220}Rn data were obtained from a depth of 0.85 m, followed by two subsequent years from depths of 0.28, 0.56, 0.85 and 1.28 m. {sup 220}Rn and {sup 222}Rn variations before the first winter that sample tubes were installed were larger than later, indicating that the soil structure, disturbed during installation of the tubes, may significantly redistribute after the first winter, thus ensuring that the sample is drawn from near the bottom of the tube. At the Chester site, autumn {sup 222}Rn concentrations were found to be up to 10 times higher than winter values, variations larger than predicted assuming diffusion-only transport. Spatial variations up to an order of magnitude are observed over distances of a few meters. {sup 220}Rn concentrations are typically {approximately} 2 to 3 times higher during summer than during winter. At the Aberdeen site, {sup 220}Rn and {sup 222}Rn concentrations were about an order of magnitude less than the lowest Chester site values, with no statistically significant temporal or spatial variations observed. Permeability measurements, thought to be an indicator of parameters controlling soil gas {sup 222}Rn variations, show no correlation with {sup 220}Rn or {sup 222}Rn at either site.
- OSTI ID:
- 269807
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950999-; TRN: 96:004072-0014
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: International radon symposium: the radon industry - the next 10 years, Nashville, TN (United States), 27-29 Sep 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of 1995 International radon symposium. AARST today: Professionals ready for tomorrow; PB: 408 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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