Measurement of the diffusion of radon, thoron and their radioactive daughter products in the lower layers of the Earth’s atmosphere

Jacques Fontan; André Birot; Daniel Blanc; André Bouville; Aimé Druilhet

doi:10.3402/tellusa.v18i2-3.9206

Measurement of the diffusion of radon, thoron and their radioactive daughter products in the lower layers of the Earth’s atmosphere

Tellus

Volume 18 (1966): Issue 2-3

By: Jacques Fontan, André Birot, Daniel Blanc, André Bouville and Aimé Druilhet

Open Access

|Jan 1966

Abstract

We undertook the study of the diffusion of radon, thoron and their radioactive daughter products in the lower strata of the atmosphere in relation to the variations of certain meteorological parameters, with the object of a possible future application to the measurement of the pollution and the diffusion of the air. We give the results of measurements which we have taken between 0 and 30 metres in altitude for the study of the vertical distribution of natural radioactivity, and in different regions in order to define the influence of certain local parameters.

The study of vertical distribution is carried out at the National Meteorological Observatory in Magny-les-Hameaux (Seine-et-Oise). A tower 30 metres high permitted us to take air samples continuously at several heights above the ground. We measured simultaneously the concentrations of radon, thoron and the daughter products of these gases. The variations in the concentrations and in the radioactive equilibrium between gas and daughter products are related to the variations of meteorological parameters and, in particular, to the diffusitivity of the air. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1966.tb00278.x

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3402/tellusa.v18i2-3.9206 | Journal eISSN: 3035-9554

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Language: English

Page range: 623 - 632

Submitted on: Oct 10, 1965

Published on: Jan 1, 1966

Published by: Stockholm University Press

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

© 1966 Jacques Fontan, André Birot, Daniel Blanc, André Bouville, Aimé Druilhet, published by Stockholm University Press
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 18 (1966): Issue 2-3