Variations of 222Rn Content in Above- and Underground Conditions
- Authors: Gavrilyuk Y.M.1, Gangapshev A.M.1,2, Gezhaev A.M.1, Kazalov V.V.1, Kuzminov V.V.1,2, Khokonov A.K.1,3, Etezov R.A.1
-
Affiliations:
- Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences
- Kabardino-Balkarian State University
- Adyghe State University
- Issue: No 6 (2024)
- Pages: 80-92
- Section: Articles
- URL: https://journals.rcsi.science/0002-3337/article/view/282316
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.31857/S0002333724060059
- EDN: https://elibrary.ru/RGKIAL
- ID: 282316
Cite item
Abstract
The article presents the results of measuring 222Rn activity and its daughter decay products in the air of underground laboratories of Baksan Neutrino Observatory, Institute for Nuclear Research, Russian Academy of Sciences (BNO INR RAS) at different distances from the entrance. The measurements were carried out with a cylindrical air pulse ionization chamber. It has been shown that the radon content in the flow of ventilated air, within the measurement accuracy, does not depend on the length of the path traveled, but increases abruptly in the locations of sources of underground gas and water emissions. Various mechanisms of air enrichment with radon are considered. The research methodology is presented, and the results of measurements of radon emission from the rocky soil of the walls of an underground room are presented. The results of measuring the radon content in water from various above- and underground sources using a low-background gamma spectrometer based on a semiconductor detector (SCD) made of ultrapure germanium are presented.
Full Text

About the authors
Yu. M. Gavrilyuk
Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Email: gangapsh@list.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow, 117312
A. M. Gangapshev
Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Kabardino-Balkarian State University
Author for correspondence.
Email: gangapsh@list.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow, 117312; Nalchik, 360004
A. M. Gezhaev
Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Email: gangapsh@list.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow, 117312
V. V. Kazalov
Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Email: gangapsh@list.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow, 117312
V. V. Kuzminov
Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Kabardino-Balkarian State University
Email: gangapsh@list.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow, 117312; Nalchik, 360004
A. Kh. Khokonov
Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Adyghe State University
Email: gangapsh@list.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow, 117312; Maykop, 385000
R. A. Etezov
Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Email: gangapsh@list.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow, 117312
References
- Езимова Ю.Е., Удоратин В.В., Магомедова А.Ш. Четдинская радоновая аномалия (республика Коми): локализация и изучение // Геофизические исследования. 2022. Т. 23. № 4. С. 36–54.
- Моллаева М.З., Темботова Ф.А., Гангапшев А.М., Казалов В.В., Гежаев А.М. Содержание радионуклидов в хвое Pinus sylvestris L. в условиях Карачаево-Черкесской республики (Западный Кавказ) // Радиационная биология. Радиоэкология. 2023. Т. 63. № 4. С. 403–410.
- Удоратин В.В., Езимова Ю.Е., Магомедова А.Ш. Методика измерений объемной активности радона для платформенных областей // Физика Земли. 2020. № 4. С. 132–143.
- Amaré J., Bandac I., Blancas A., Borjabad S., Buisán, S. Cebrián S., Cintas D., Coarasa I., García E., Martínez M., Núñez–Lagos R., Oliván M.A., Ortigoza Y., Ortiz de Solórzano A., Pérez C., Puimedóna J., Rodríguez S., Salinas A., Sarsa M.L., Villar P. Long term measurement of the 222 Rn concentration in the Canfranc Underground Laboratory. arXiv:2203.13978v1 [physics.ins-det] 26 Mar 2022.
- Li Chunqian, Zhao Shibin, Zhang Chenglun, Li Meng, Guo Jinjia, Dimova Natasha T., Yang Tong, Liu Wen, Chen Guangquan, Yu Huaming, Xu Bochao. Further refinements of a continuous radon monitor for surface ocean water measurements // Front. Mar. Sci. 2022. № 9. P. 1047126.
- Chu M.C., Kwan K.K., Kwok M.W., Kwok T., Leung J.K.C., Leung K.Y., Lin Y.C., Luk K.B., Pun C.S.J. The radon monitoring system in Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment // Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A. 2016. V. 808. P. 156–164.
- Gavrilyuk Yu.M., Gangapshev A.M., Kuzminov V.V., Panasenko S.I., Ratkevich S.S. Monitoring the 222Rn Concentration in the Air of Low-Background Laboratories by Means of an Ion-Pulse Ionization Chamber // Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Physics. 2011. V. 75. № 4. P. 547–551.
- Gavrilyuk Yu.M., Gangapshev A.M., Gezhaev A.M., Etezov R.A., Kazalov V.V., Kuzminov V.V., Panasenko S.I., Ratkevich S.S., Tekueva D.A., Yakimenko S.P. High-resolution ion pulse ionization chamber with air filling for the 222Rn decays detection // Nucl. Instrum. and Meth. A. 2015. V. 801. P. 27–33.
- Gavriljuk Yu.M., Gangapshev A.M., Gezhaev A.M., Kazalov V.V., Kuzminov V.V., Panasenko S.I., Ratkevich S.S., Smolnikov A.A., Yakimenko S.P. Working characteristics of the New Low-Background Laboratory (DULB-4900) // Nucl. Instrum. and Meth. A. 2013. V. 729. P. 576–580.
- Kuzminov V.V. Ion-pulse ionization chamber for direct measurement of a radon concentration in the air // Physics of Atomic Nuclei. 2003. V. 66. № 3. P. 462–465.
- Kuzminov V.V. The Baksan Neutrino Observatory // Eur. Phys. J. Plus. 2012. V. 127. P. 113.
- Lagios E., Sideris G., Zervos F., Tsourlos P., Nicholson R.A., Ponomarev A., Salov B., Balassanian S., Petrosyan G., Bushati S., Lika O. Tectonic early warning system through real-time radon (Rn) monitoring: preliminary results of geophysical method for forecasting earthquakes. Earthquake Hazard and Seismic Risk Reduction. Kluwer Academic Publishers. 2000. P. 261–270.
- Zafrir Hovav, Barbosa Susana, Levintal Elad, Weisbrod Noam, Yochai Ben Horin and Zalevsky Zeev. The Impact of Atmospheric and Tectonic Constraints on Radon-222 and Carbon Dioxide Flow in Geological Porous Media – A Dozen-Year Research Summary // Front. Earth Sci. 2020. № 8. P. 559298.
Supplementary files
