Radon in soil and its concentration in the atmosphere around Mysore city, India

• Published in: Indian journal of physics Vol. 83; no. 8; pp. 1163 - 1169
• Main Authors: Shashikumar, T. S., Ragini, N., Chandrashekara, M. S., Paramesh, L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Springer-Verlag 01.08.2009
• Subjects: Astrophysics and Astroparticles; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Mysore city; scintillometer; SSNTD; 89.60.-k; 91.30.pd; 07.88.+y; 29.25.Rm; radiation dose; 29.40.Wk
• ISSN: 0019-5480; 0974-9845
• DOI: 10.1007/s12648-009-0096-x

Radon concentration in soil-gas and in the atmospheric air has been studied around Mysore city (12°N and 76°E) using Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors. The radon in soil-gas is found to be higher at a depth of 1 m than at a depth of 0.5 m from the ground surface. The higher radon concentration in soil was observed near Chamundi Hills and Karigatta village with average values of 5.94 kBq.m −3 and 5.32 kBq.m −3 at 1 m depth from the ground surface. Seasonal variations in radon in soil gas shows that, the concentration is lower in summer with an average value of 0.60 kBq.m −3 and higher in monsoon season with an average value of 4.70 kBq.m −3 . Estimation of 226 Ra in soil at these locations is also made using HPGe detector. The activity of 226 Ra, varies from 4.82 to 74.23 Bq.kg −1 with an average value of 32.11 Bq.kg −1 . Radon concentrations in soil-gas shows good correlation with the activity of 226 Ra in soil with a correlation coefficient of 0.76