Radon and thoron daughter activities in the environment of the King George Island (West Antarctica)

• Main Author: A. T. Solecki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) 2005-06-01
• Series: Annals of Geophysics
• Subjects: Antarctica; radon; uranium; thorium; spectrometry
• Online Access: http://www.annalsofgeophysics.eu/index.php/annals/article/view/3187

Results of 253 gamma spectrometric analyses of radon daughters in soil and bedrocks of the King George Island
 (West Antarctica) are presented. Measured values range from 0.1 to 58.4 Bq/kg, and from 4.9 to 75.5 Bq/kg for
 214Bi and 208Tl respectively, but most measurements fall in the lower part of this range due to predominantly basaltic
 character of the geological basement. Obtained gamma spectrometric data correspond well to very low soil gas
 radon content measured by means of Kodak LR115 being below 454 Bqm-3. Low soil gas radon content and characteristic
 type of architecture is responsible for low indoor radon activity in Arctowski Station being as low as 10-
 15 Bqm-3. The highest 105 Bqm-3 indoor Rn activity has been measured in the greenhouse bungalow of the station.
 This increased value was probably connected with the presence of about 1000 kg of imported soil material in the
 greenhouse room of the bungalow. Local zones of increased uranium and thorium content, discovered as a result
 of radiometric mapping, can potentaily influence atmospheric radon used for meteorological interpretation.