Abstract
Radon is an excellent tracer for the study of transport processes in the lower atmospheric boundary layer. Analyses of the radon data measured on a 300-m meteorological tower at Philadelphia show that the diurnal variation of atmospheric turbulence is closely related to the meteorological variables.
A model of variation of radon concentration with mean wind speed and low-level vertical temperature difference is derived. It indicates that radon concentration is inversely proportional to the mean wind speed and directly proportional to the temperature difference. These predictions are in good agreement with the measurements.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bakulin, V. N.: 1967, ‘Influence of Diurnal Changes in the Coefficient of Turbulent Exchange on the Concentration of Rn, Th, An and Their Decay Products in the Atmosphere’, Izv. Atmospheric Oceanic Phys. 3, 181–188.
Gale, H. J. and Peaple, L. H.J.: 1958, ‘A Study of the Radon Content of Ground Level Air at Harwell’, Int. J. Air Pollution 1, 103–109.
Ikebe, Y.: 1970, ‘Variation of Radon and Thoron Concentrations in Relation to the Wind Speed’, J. Meteorol. Soc. Japan 48, 461–467.
Kraner, H.W., Schroeder, G.L., and Evans, R.D.: 1964, ‘Measurements of the Effects of Atmospheric Variables on Radon 222 Flux and Soil Gas Concentration’, The Natural Radiation Environment, University of Chicago Press.
Malakhov, S. G., Bakulin, V. N., Dmitrieva, G. V., Kirichenko, L. V., Sissigina, T. I., and Starikov, B. G.: 1966, ‘Diurnal Variations of Radon and Thoron Decay Product Concentrations in the Surface Layer of the Atmosphere and Their Washout by Precipitations’, Tellus 18, 643–654.
Malakhov, S. G. and Bakulin, V. N.: 1967, ‘The Effect of Variations in Exhalation of Radon and Thoron upon Changes in the Concentration of These Emanations and Their Decomposition Products in the Atmosphere’, Izv. Atmospheric Oceanic Phys. 3, 773–779.
Markee, H.: 1963, ‘On the Relationships of Range to Standard Deviation of Wind Fluctuations’, Monthly Weather Rev. 91, 83–87.
Moses, H., Stehney, A. F., and Lucas, H. F., Jr.: 1960, ‘The Effect of Meteorological Variables upon the Vertical and Temporal Distribution of Atmospheric Radon’, J. Geophys. Res. 65, 1223–1238.
Moses, H., Lucas, H. F., Jr., and Zerbe, G. A.: 1963, ‘The Effect of Meteorological Variables upon Radon Concentration Three Feet above the Ground’, J. Air Pollution Control Assoc. 13, 12–19.
Newstein, H., Cohen, L. D., and Krablin, R.: 1971, ‘An Automated Atmospheric Radon Sampling System, Atmospheric Environ. 5, 823–831.
Pearson, J. E. and Moses, H.: 1966, ‘Atmospheric Radon-222 Concentration Variation with Height and Time’, J. Appl. Meteorol. 5, 175–181.
Servant, J.: 1966, ‘Temporal and Spatial Variations of the Concentration of the Short lived Decay Products of Radon in the Lower Atmosphere’, Tellus 18, 663–670.
Sissigina, T. I.: 1962, in I. L. Karol and S. G. Malakhov (eds.), ‘The Measurement of the Exhalation of Radon from the Surface of Certain Types of Rocks’, Problem of Nuclear Meteorology, Moscow, AEC-tr. 6128-TID4500, 25th Ed., 125–138.
Wanta, R.C.: 1969, ‘Local Shear Destabilization — A Challenge to Recognition and Exploitation in Geophysical Process, J. Geophys. Res. 23, 5536–5539.
Wilkening, M.H.: 1959, ‘Daily and Annual Courses of Natural Atmospheric Radioactivity’, J. Geophys. Res. 64, 521–526.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Li, TY. Diurnal variations of radon and meteorological variables near the ground. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 7, 185–198 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00227912
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00227912