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Radium distribution and indoor radon in the Pacific Northwest
Author(s) -
Duval Joseph S.,
Otton James K.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl017i006p00801
Subject(s) - radium , radon , environmental science , soil water , geology , hydrology (agriculture) , aerial survey , soil science , remote sensing , radiochemistry , chemistry , physics , geotechnical engineering , quantum mechanics
Aerial gamma‐ray data were compiled to produce a map showing the distribution of radium ( 226 Ra) in near‐surface materials in the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, and parts of Montana, Wyoming, California, Nevada, and Utah). A comparison of measurements of indoor concentration levels of radon ( 222 Rn) in homes with the apparent surface concentration of radium shows that aerial gamma‐ray data provide a first order estimate of the relative amounts of indoor radon for township‐sized areas where soils have low to moderate permeability. Townships with average indoor radon levels above the general trend of the data are almost all characterized by soils that have higher intrinsic permeabilities.