Soil Radon Time Series from the Italian Radon Monitoring Network (IRON)

Area of Science:

• Geophysics
• Environmental Science
• Radiological Science

Background:

• Soil radon emanations are influenced by environmental factors and geological processes.
• Continuous monitoring is crucial for understanding radon emission dynamics and potential hazards.
• The Italian Radon mOnitoring Network (IRON) provides a valuable resource for long-term radon data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a comprehensive dataset of soil radon emanations and associated environmental parameters in Italy from 2009 to 2021.
• To enable diverse investigations into radon emission variability and influencing factors.
• To support research on radon's role in environmental monitoring and health risk assessment.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 62 monitoring stations across Italy, collecting over 621,720 radon concentration measurements.
• Employed calibrated in-house (LUCAS) and commercial (AER) detectors for radon measurements.
• Collected synchronized data on internal temperature and relative humidity from most stations.

Main Results:

• Compiled an extensive dataset of soil radon concentrations, temperature, and humidity spanning 13 years.
• The data captures radon emission variations across multiple temporal scales.
• Established a robust dataset for analyzing environmental influences and transient signal impacts on radon emissions.

Conclusions:

• The IRON dataset offers a unique resource for studying radon emission dynamics and their relationship with environmental parameters.
• This data can facilitate research into radon's potential as an indicator for seismic/volcanic activity and fluid migration.
• The dataset supports the assessment of long-term radon exposure risks for human health in confined spaces.