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    Original Research Papers

    Estimating the Asian radon flux density and its latitudinal gradient in winter using ground-based radon observations at Sado Island

    Authors:

    Alastair G. Williams ,

    Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, AU
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    Scott Chambers,

    Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, AU
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    Wlodek Zahorowski,

    Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, AU
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    Jagoda Crawford,

    Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, AU
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    Kiyoshi Matsumoto,

    Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences, University of Yamanashi, JP
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    Mitsuo Uematsu

    Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, JP
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    Abstract

    Terrestrial radon-222 flux density for the Asian continent, integrated over distances of 4500 km, is estimated in two 20. latitudinal bands centred on 48.8.N and 63.2.N. The evaluation is based on three years of wintertime radon measurements at Sado Island, Japan, together with meteorological and trajectory information. A selection of 18% of observations are suitable for evaluation of an analytical expression for the continental surface flux. Various meteorological assumptions are discussed; it is found that there is a substantial effect of increased complexity of the formulation on the flux estimates obtained. The distribution of spatially integrated radon flux over the Asian landmass is reported for the first time. Expressed as geometric means and 1±-ranges, estimated fluxes are 14.1 mBq m.2 s.1 (1±-range: 18 mBq m-2 s-1) and 8.4 mBq m-2 s-1 (1±-range: 10 mBq m-2 s-1) for the lower and higher latitude bands. These results constitute an annual minimum in flux densities for these regions, and are higher than previously reported. The existence of a latitudinal gradient in the continental radon source function is confirmed; the present estimate for Asia (-0.39 mBq m-2 s-1 per degree of latitude) is in agreement with the northern hemisphere terrestrial radon flux gradient proposed previously.

    How to Cite: Williams, A.G., Chambers, S., Zahorowski, W., Crawford, J., Matsumoto, K. and Uematsu, M., 2009. Estimating the Asian radon flux density and its latitudinal gradient in winter using ground-based radon observations at Sado Island. Tellus B: Chemical and Physical Meteorology, 61(5), pp.732–746. DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0889.2009.00438.x
      Published on 01 Jan 2009
    Peer Reviewed
     CC BY 4.0
     Accepted on 21 Jul 2009            Submitted on 8 Apr 2009

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