Radon-222 as relevant atmospheric tracer
Contact Dr. F. Conen L. Zimmermann
Project inserted in the frame of the ICOS-CH infrastructure (Integrated Carbon Observation System- the Swiss contribution to a European Research Infrastructure)
Cooperation: ANSTO Atmospheric Mixing (Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation)
Radon-222 is naturally emitted from land surfaces. The only sink of this noble gas in the atmosphere is radioactive decay. Its half-life of 3.8 days provides for large concentration differences between the planetary boundary layer and free tropospheric air, making it a good tracer for recent land contact of air masses sampled at the high altitude observatory Jungfraujoch. Through this project we provide daily updated radon-222 concentrations for Jungfraujoch (3454 m a.s.l.) and for Bern (575 m a.s.l.), located 60 km to the NW of Jungfraujoch. Earlier results of the project include the characterisation (mapping) of radon-222 flux in Europe, the USA and Russia.
Atmospheric radon data
![radon plot](/fileadmin/user_upload/duw/UGW/Research/Radon/radon_plot.jpg?1518872488)
daily updated radon monitor data (Bern and Jungfraujoch).
link to data source.
Collaboration
![F.Conen](/fileadmin/user_upload/duw/UGW/Team/p_Conen.jpg?1518948771)
Dr. Franz Conen
Environmental Geosciences
Bernoullistr. 30
4056 Basel
Switzerland
Flux maps (EU, USA, Russia)
![radon map](/fileadmin/_processed_/f/3/csm_radon_map_39f8abd256.jpg?1614736395)
EU annual 222Rn flux map for 2006 1°x1° resolution (fluxmaps/rn_flux_2006_1x1_atom_cm_s-1.zip)
EU annual 222Rn flux map for 2006 0.5°x0.5° resolution (fluxmaps/eu_rn_05deg.zip)
EU weekly 222Rn flux maps (fluxmaps/rn_ascii_weekly_2006.zip)
US 222Rn flux map (fluxmaps/us_rn_50km.zip)
Russian 222Rn flux map (fluxmaps/ru_rn_05deg.zip)
Details on maps and local flux time series in Szegvary 2007 and flux maps info.
Local flux time series
![flux_text](/fileadmin/user_upload/duw/UGW/Research/Radon/flux_text.jpg?1518872488)
Swiss Locations:
- Aigle
- Basel/Binningen
- Oensingen
- Bern/Liebfeld
- Pully
- Robbia
- Ruenenberg
- Visp
Download data as zip (/fluxtimeseries/fluxtimeseries.zip), detailed information as pdf (fluxtimeseries.pdf)
Publications
- Radon as a tracer of atmospheric influences on traffic-related air pollution in a small inland city. [2016, link]
- Towards a Universal “Baseline” Characterisation of Air Masses for High- and Low-Altitude Observing Stations Using Radon-222. [2015, link]
- Net CO2 surface emissions at Bern, Switzerland inferred from ambient observations of CO2,δ(O2/N2), and 222Rn using a customized radon tracer inversion. [2014, link]
- Surface-to-mountaintop transport characterised by radon observations at the Jungfraujoch. [2014, link]
- Total bacterial number concentration in free tropospheric air above the Alps. [2013, link]
- Sources and Measurements of Radon and Radon Progeny Applied to Climate and Air Quality Studies. [2012, link]
- Evidence for Nearly Complete Decoupling of Very Stable Nocturnal Boundary Layer Overland. [2011, link]
- Comparison of one- and two-filter detectors for atmospheric 222Rn measurements under various meteorological conditions. [2010, link]
- Inter-comparison of different direct and indirect methods to determine radon flux from soil. [2010, link]
- European 222Rn inventory for applied atmospheric studies. [2009, link]
- Mapping terrestrial γ-dose rate in Europe based on routine monitoring data. [2007, link]
- Predicting terrestrial 222Rn flux using gamma dose rate as a proxy. [2007, link]
- Estimation of Hg0 exchange between ecosystems and the atmosphere using 222Rn and Hg0 concentration changes in the stable nocturnal boundary layer. [2005, link]
- Test of a northwards-decreasing 222Rn source term by comparison of modelled and observed atmospheric 222Rn concentrations. [2005, link]
- Latitudinal distribution of radon-222 flux from continents. [2002, link]