RADON EXHALATION FROM SOIL AND ITS DEPENDENCE FROM ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS

An automatic measuring apparatus called exhalometer for measurement of the radon exhalation rate from soil is introduced. It consists of a pneumatic driven accumulation chamber with an open bottom, a PC-based control system, six Lucas cells for radon measurement and sensors for environmental parameters. It allows moving the accumulation chamber and hereby opening or closing it. The exhalation rate is determined through the increase of radon in the accumulation chamber. For studying exhalation and the affecting factors, the exhalometer was placed at an undisturbed meadow for the entire year of 2015. The daily radon exhalation rate ranges from 2.5 to 50.7 Bq m-2 h-1 with an average of 25.3 Bq m-2 h-1. The exhalation rate shows daily and seasonal variations with its maximum in the afternoon and in spring. The dependence on several environmental parameters is discussed. The stable performance indicates the system's fitness for long-term measurements.