Premium
Reconnaissance techniques for determining soil‐gas radon concentrations: An example from Prince Georges County, Maryland
Author(s) -
Reimer G. M.
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/gl017i006p00809
Subject(s) - soil gas , radon , environmental science , radon gas , hydrology (agriculture) , sampling (signal processing) , soil test , geology , soil water , soil science , geotechnical engineering , physics , filter (signal processing) , quantum mechanics , computer science , computer vision
Preliminary field measurements of soil‐gas radon (Rn) concentrations can provide an initial assessment of the Rn potential in any location and aid in designing a larger or more detailed sampling program. Radon reconnaissance requires some special considerations because a large area must be covered in a short period of time and analyses must be made soon after collection because of Rn decay. A simple approach to collection and field analysis consists of a small‐diameter probe pounded into the ground to a depth of at least 0.75 m. Analysis is by an alpha‐scintillometer. Soil‐gas samples collected along a traverse in Prince Georges County, Maryland, demonstrate the utility of the technique. Although this region in the Coastal Plain province might be considered to possess the type of geologic setting that would not contribute to significant Rn potential, the reconnaissance sampling revealed Rn soil‐gas concentrations of up to 2500 pCi/L (picocuries per liter) indicating that the potential exists for indoor accumulations in excess of 4 pCi/L.