On radon emanation as a possible indicator of crustal deformation

Radon emanation has been monitored in shallow capped holes by a Tracketch method along several active faults and in the vicinity of some volcanoes and underground nuclear explosions. The measured emanation shows large temporal variations that appear to be partly related to crustal strain changes. This paper proposes a model that may explain the observed tectonic variations in radon emanation, and explores the possibility of using radon emanation as an indicator of crustal deformation. In this model the emanation variation is assumed to be due to the perturbation of near-surface profile of radon concentration in the soil gas caused by a change in the vertical flow rate of the soil gas which, in turn, is caused by the crustal deformation. It is shown that, for a typical soil, a small change in the flow rate (3 · 10⁻⁴ cm sec⁻¹) can effect a significant change (a factor of 2) in radon emanation detected at a fixed shallow depth (0.7 m). The radon concentration profile has been monitored at several depths at a selected site to test the model. The results appear to be in satisfactory agreement.     

基于土壤氡气测量识别甘肃北山南缘隐伏断裂

我国高放废物地质处置库首选预选区位于甘肃北山南缘，区内分布有多条大型非活动断裂构造，这些断裂很可能成为未来放射性核素迁移的主要通道。断裂在向地表延伸过程中，受第四系覆盖等因素影响，造成关键构造部位隐伏地下而难以识别。本文以北山地区新场地段南部红旗山和前红泉断裂为研究对象，采用土壤中氡气测量方法，探讨了大型断裂构造中隐伏段落的识别及其指示的水文地质意义。结果表明：土壤中氡气测量对于识别北山南缘隐伏断裂具有很好的指示意义，是传统地质调查方法的一种重要补充；红旗山和前红泉断裂裂隙系统整体开启性均较差，裂隙系统不发育，影响范围较小，不具备形成较大规模储水空间的可能性。不同断裂带土壤氡浓度背景值差异较大，可根据土壤氡浓度累积频率分布图确定背景值；土壤氡浓度等值线分布图对判断隐伏断裂位置具有一定的指示作用。对于压剪性断裂而言，主断裂多沿氡气高异常与低异常边界分布或表现为氡气中等异常，而两侧的次级断裂表现为氡气高异常。     

Spatial radon anomalies on active faults in California

Radon emanation has been observed to be anomalously high along active faults in many parts of the world. We tested this relationship by conducting and repeating soil-air radon surveys with a portable radon meter across several faults in California. The results confirm the existence of fault-associated radon anomalies, which show characteristic features that may be related to fault structures but vary in time due to other environmental changes, such as rainfall. Across two creeping faults in San Juan Bautista and Hollister, the radon anomalies showed prominent double peaks straddling the fault-gouge zone during dry summers, but the peak-to-background ratios diminished after significant rain fall during winter. Across a locked segment of the San Andreas fault near Olema, the anomaly has a single peak located several meters southwest of the slip zone associated with the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Across two fault segments that ruptured during the magnitude 7.5 Landers earthquake in 1992, anomalously high radon concentration was found in the fractures three weeks after the earthquake. We attribute the fault-related anomalies to a slow vertical gas flow in or near the fault zones. Radon generated locally in subsurface soil has a concentration profile that increases three orders of magnitude from the surface to a depth of several meters; thus an upward flow that brings up deeper and radon-richer soil air to the detection level can cause a significantly higher concentration reading. This explanation is consistent with concentrations of carbon dioxide and oxygen, measured in soil-air samples collected during one of the surveys.     

河南卢氏盆地黄村断裂土壤氡气测量及断裂活动性分析

本文是为了确定在卢氏盆地内被第四系覆盖的黄村断裂的位置、断裂性质,分析黄村断裂与其北侧的乔家窑地热异常的关系。断裂构造是深部氡气汇集和迁移的主要通道,氡气沿断裂向上迁移,在地表浅部形成氡异常。土壤氡气异常可揭示隐伏断裂构造的位置、产状和活动性。黄村断裂通过卢氏乔家窑一带,为第四系沉积物所覆盖。沿垂直断裂走向方向布置4条测线。应用瞬时土壤测氡仪进行了野外现场测量,测试了土壤氡气浓度,确定土壤氡气异常,分析黄村断裂位置、产状和活动性。结果表明:黄村断裂带上方土壤氡气具有异常显示,异常位置与断层位置具有较好的一致性。沿QJ12测线,从南向北,土壤氡气异常形态为低-高-较高-较低-低的峰值形态。在断层带上方氡气峰值异常高于背景值的1.5倍以上,异常峰多数为2个测点以上组成。土壤氡气变化特征表明黄村断裂具有较强的活动性。利用土壤氡气异常分析了黄村断裂深部结构特征,给出了主断裂面与次级断裂面产状和位置。结合土壤氡气异常,分析了乔家地热形成机理。初步研究结果表明,豫西基底构造具有多期活动性,活化区域内的压扭性断裂,可转变为局部张性断裂,控制水热、成矿物质的迁移和富集。     

Seasonal variations in soil radon emanation: long-term continuous monitoring in light of seismicity

Soil gas radon release patterns have been monitored continuously for more than 3 years in the Eastern Mediterranean Province (EMP) (Southern Turkey), alongside regional seismic events, providing a multidisciplinary approach. In the period from January 2008 to January 2011, 14 earthquakes M _L ≥4 occurred in the study area. By monitoring the sites for more than 3 years, the site-characteristic patterns of soil radon emanation of each site have become evident. Radon emanation data show seasonal (semi-annual) variation characteristics; high soil radon values are between May and October and low soil radon values are between November and April. With available rainfall data, the soil gas radon data can be more reliably evaluated. It is shown in this paper that if radon emanation data are available over sufficiently long periods of time and baseline data (and their seasonal variations) are known with certainty for each monitoring site, then the observation of positive anomalies might provide a correlation or connection to seismic activity.     

Fault zones and stress fields of the Earth’s crust in the vicinity of Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) at the modern stage of tectogenesis

The seismic and emanation activity of fault zones at a geodynamic test site arranged in the vicinity of Ulaanbaatar to investigate dangerous geological processes in a heavily populated area of Mongolia is analyzed. It has been found that, at the modern stage of tectogenesis, destruction of the Earth’s crust occurs in the area of the strike-slip fault transformed from the Indo-Asian collision zone. Thus, a network of fault zones with seismic and emanation activity is developed in this area. In the vicinity of Ulaanbaatar, there are four systems of fault zones. The spatial pattern of the systems shows a nodal junction of comparatively large rightlateral and left-lateral strike-slip faults of submeridional and sublatitudinal orientation. These strike-slips are barely connected with a network of ancient faults. The northwestern and northeastern zones developed by compression and tension, on the contrary, inherit disjunctive structures of the most recent age located in a nodal junction at the tops of dihedral angles. Determination of the pattern of recent faulting is essential to estimate the seismic hazard for the capital of Mongolia, where more than one-third of the nation lives.     

缅甸拉泰-其培河段恩梅开江断裂带氡气测量

利用测量土壤中氡气异常来确定隐伏断裂的几何学特征。在缅甸拉泰—其培河段布置的四条测氡剖面中,氡气异常明显,拉泰-芒童段异常值约为本底值的3～8倍,芒童以南部分异常值比本底值高100倍,表明芒童以南地段活动性较强。氡气测量结果很好地控制了恩梅开江断裂在覆盖层之下的延伸展布方向。地表开挖及平硐揭露,很好地验证了测氡结果所推测的断层几何学特征。因此,测定土壤中氡气异常来寻找隐伏断裂的方法是可行的。     

氡与氡的危害

本简述了氡的物理，化学特征和射气作用，介绍了氡测量方法，着重阐述了非矿山氡积累对人类健康产生的危害与防治，通过具体数据和实例说明了人类对氡危害的认识过程，提出了对环境生态评价及对氡侵害人体健康的一些防治措施。     

Evaluation of geodynamic activity of the Dead Sea transform fault by radon gas concentrations

Twelve radon lines of dosimeters (detectors) were placed across the Jordan Valley active fault, which is a segment of the active Dead Sea transform fault system. Each line of the dosimeters shows one or more peaks of radon anomaly concentrations. Some of these peaks prove the intersection of the fault trace with these lines in areas where the fault plane is inferred. In other lines, the peaks correspond to the arrangement of faults in areas of pull-apart basins (sag ponds) or pressure ridges, formed due to the left or right step of the fault. Sag ponds usually show low radon emanations, because they are the place for the accumulation of very fine sediments, which decreases their porosity and hence the upward migration of the radon gas. The northern part of the Jordan Valley relatively shows high radon emanation, which could be attributed to the presence of a seismic gap in the upper Jordan valley.     

Soil-gas radon anomalies in three study areas of Central-Northern Calabria (Southern Italy)

Soil-gas radon concentrations and exhalation rates have generally been observed to be anomalously high along active faults in many parts of the world. The soil-gas method is based on the principle that faults and fractures in rocks are highly permeable pathways along which gases can migrate upward from deep crust and mantle to soil cover, retaining their source signatures. The present study summarizes the influence of fault zones on anomalous radon concentrations in soil by integrated geophysical and geo-structural analyses in three study areas of Central-Northern Calabria (Southern Italy). Soil-gas radon surveys have been carried out by means of an alpha scintillation counting system, at 12,509 locations between 2002 and 2004. A geostatistical approach has been used to estimate the spatial distribution of soil radon concentrations. Relations among soil-gas distribution and geo-structural features have been evaluated by ordinary multi-Gaussian kriging. Highest soil radon concentrations (ca. 90 kBq m^?3) have been measured in the Rossanese sector. In the three study areas, no appreciable differences can be noticed among lithotypes, with the highest concentration values (ca. 89 kBq m^?3) measured in alluvial deposit and in clay. Measurements of soil-gas radon reveal anomalies clearly connected to the tectonic structures. Increased signals are linearly distributed along regional WNW–ESE trending shear zones, with main pathways of concentration also recognizable along the E–W fault system in the Rossanese sector, the N–S fault system in the Crati Graben and the Catanzaro Trough, and the NE–SW fault system in the Catanzaro Trough. The distribution of epicentres of historical earthquakes occurred between 1184 and 2001 confirms the recent activity of the same fault systems. Soil-gas radon concentrations generally increase, as expected, with decreasing distance to the faults.     

Spatial Characteristics and Controlling Factors of the Strike‐slip Fault Zones in the Northern Slope of Tazhong Uplift,Tarim Basin: Insight from 3D Seismic Data

The detailed characteristics of the Paleozoic strike-slip fault zones developed in the northern slope of Tazhong uplift are closely related to hydrocarbon explorations. In this study, five major strike-slip fault zones that cut through the Cambrian-Middle Devonian units are identified, by using 3D seismic data. Each of the strike-slip fault zones is characterized by two styles of deformation, namely deeper strike-slip faults and shallower en-echelon faults. By counting the reverse separation of the horizon along the deeper faults, activity intensity on the deeper strike-slip faults in the south is stronger than that on the northern ones. The angle between the strike of the shallower en-echelon normal faults and the principal displacement zone(PDZ) below them is likely to have a tendency to decrease slightly from the south to the north, which may indicate that activity intensity on the shallower southern en-echelon faults is stronger than that on the northern ones. Comparing the reverse separation along the deeper faults and the fault throw of the shallower faults, activity intensity of the Fault zone S1 is similar across different layers, while the activity intensity of the southern faults is larger than that of the northern ones. It is obvious that both the activity intensity of the same layer in different fault zones and different layers in the same fault zone have a macro characteristic in that the southern faults show stronger activity intensity than the northern ones. The Late Ordovician décollement layer developed in the Tazhong area and the peripheral tectonic events of the Tarim Basin have been considered two main factors in the differential deformation characteristics of the strike-slip fault zones in the northern slope of Tazhong uplift. They controlled the differences in the multi-level and multi-stage deformations of the strike-slip faults, respectively. In particular, peripheral tectonic events of the Tarim Basin were the dynamic source of the formatting and evolution of the strike-slip fault zones, and good candidates to accommodate the differential activity intensity of these faults.     

Origin of anomalies of radon volume activity during failure of rocks

Experimental and theoretical research into the processes of radon emanation during failure of rocks has been carried out. We propose a physical model for the mechanisms of origin of anomalies of radon volume activity. Based on the obtained experimental data, relative changes in the open porosity and specific inner surface of rock during its failure have been studied.     

Interpretation of radon anomalies in seismotectonic and tectonic-gravitational settings: the south-eastern Crati graben (Northern Calabria, Italy)

The study area is located in the south-eastern part of the Crati valley (Northern Calabria, Italy), which is a graben bordered by N–S trending normal faults and crossed by NW–SE normal left-lateral faults. Numerous severe crustal earthquakes have affected the area in historical time. Present-day seismic activity is mainly related to the N–S faults located along the eastern border of the graben. In this area, much seismically induced deep-seated deformation has also been recognised.In the present paper, radon concentrations in soil gas have been measured and compared with (a) lithology, (b) Quaternary faults, (c) historical and instrumental seismicity, and (d) deep-seated deformation.The results highlight the following:

(a) There is no evidence of a strong correlation between lithology and the radon anomalies.

(b) A clear correlation between the N–S geometry of radon anomalies and the orientation of main fault systems has been recognised, except in the southernmost part of the area, where the radon concentrations are strongly affected by the superposition of the N–S and the NW–SE fault systems.

(c) Epicentral zones of instrumental and historical earthquakes correspond to the highest values of radon concentrations, probably indicating recent activated fault segments. In particular, high radon values occur in the zones struck by earthquakes in 1835, 1854, and 1870.

(d) Deep-seated gravitational deformation generally coincides with zones characterised by low radon concentrations.

In the studied area, the anisotropic distribution of radon concentrations is congruent with the presence of neotectonic features and deep-seated gravitational phenomena. The method used in this study could profitably contribute towards either seismic risk or deep-seated gravitational deformation analyses.     

Radon emanation from giant landslides of Koefels (Tyrol,Austria) and Langtang Himal (Nepal)

The identification of extremely high indoor radon concentrations in the village Umhausen (Tyrol, Austria) initiated a scientific program to get information about the source and distribution of this noble gas. The high concentrations can not be related to U anomalies or large-scale fault zones. The nearby giant landslide of Koefels, with its highly fractured and crushed orthogneisses, are the only possible source of radon, despite the fact that the U and Ra content of the rocks is by no means exceptional. The reasons for the high emanation rates from the landslide are discussed and compared to results gained from a similar examination of the giant landslide of Langtang Himal (Nepal). The exceptional geologic situation in both cases, as well as the spatial distribution of different concentration levels, indicate that both landslides must be considered as the production sites of radon. Independent of the U and Ra contents of the rocks, the most important factors producing high emanation rates are the production of a high active surface area and circulation pathways for Rn-enriched soil air by brittle deformation due to the impact of the landslidemass.     

氡气测量在工程地质中的应用--以西南某水电站右坝肩稳定性研究为例

本文分析了氡气测量的原理和氡气异常与不同地质现象的关系 ,提出了氡异常的判据与特征 ,并结合工程实例探讨了氡气测量在工程地质中的重要作用。     

A geostatistical approach for mapping and uncertainty assessment of geogenic radon gas in soil in an area of southern Italy

Spatial distribution of concentrations of radon gas in the soil is important for defining high risk areas because geogenic radon is the major potential source of indoor radon concentrations regardless of the construction features of buildings. An area of southern Italy (Catanzaro-Lamezia plain) was surveyed to study the relationship between radon gas concentrations in the soil, geology and structural patterns. Moreover, the uncertainty associated with the mapping of geogenic radon in soil gas was assessed. Multi-Gaussian kriging was used to map the geogenic soil gas radon concentration, while conditional sequential Gaussian simulation was used to yield a series of stochastic images representing equally probable spatial distributions of soil radon across the study area. The stochastic images generated by the sequential Gaussian simulation were used to assess the uncertainty associated with the mapping of geogenic radon in the soil and they were combined to calculate the probability of exceeding a specified critical threshold that might cause concern for human health. The study showed that emanation of radon gas radon was also dependent on geological structure and lithology. The results have provided insight into the influence of basement geochemistry on the spatial distribution of radon levels at the soil/atmosphere interface and suggested that knowledge of the geology of the area may be helpful in understanding the distribution pattern of radon near the earth’s surface.     

北秦岭地带断裂活动性氡气测试成果分析评价

采用断层气体测试方法, 对北秦岭地带主要断裂及其活动性进行了测试, 首次提出了该区断裂活动性测氡成果判别的相对标准。进而对区内典型的氡气测试成果剖面作了解释分析, 并判别了断裂 (带)的相对活动强弱与活动水平等有关断裂活动性问题。最后, 简要地探讨了在北秦岭地区未来可持续发展中断裂 (带)对其模式及格局的影响。     

A comparison of field and laboratory analytical methods for radon site investigation

Soil-gas radon measurements provide a valuable tool in assessing probable indoor radon levels on a regional basis. However, in Great Britain, seasonal weather changes can cause large changes in soil-gas radon concentration. Although this does not significantly constrain systematic radon potential mapping programmes, it does cause difficulties in responding to ad-hoc requests for site-specific radon investigations. The relationship between soil-gas radon and gamma spectrometry measurements made in the field with radon released from a representative sample of soil in the laboratory has been investigated as part of a program to develop a method of radon potential mapping and site investigation which can be used at any time of the year. Multiple soil and soil-gas samples were collected from sites underlain by bedrocks with widely varying radon potentials. For each geological unit, sites both free of and covered by glacial drift deposits were sampled. Soil and soil-gas samples were taken at the same depth of 60–100 cm. The effectiveness of these radon site investigation procedures has been evaluated by studying the relationship between the soil-gas radon, gamma spectrometry and radon emanation data with an independent estimate of the radon risk. The geologic radon potential (GEORP), which is the proportion of existing dwellings which exceed the UK radon Action Level (200 Bq m⁻³) for a particular combination of solid and drift geology within a defined geographic area, has been used for this study as the independent estimate of radon risk. Soil-gas radon, radon emanation and eU (equivalent uranium by field γ spectrometry) are all good geochemical indicators of radon risk (GEORP) in Derbyshire but only soil-gas radon correlates significantly with GEORP in Northamptonshire. Radon in soil gas discriminates more effectively between sites with different radon potential in Northamptonshire if soil permeability is also taken into account. In general, measurement of soil-gas radon in the field provides the most universally applicable indicator of radon potential. If soil-gas radon concentrations cannot be determined because of climatic factors, for example when the soil profile is waterlogged, measurement of radon emanation in the laboratory or measurement of eU can be used as radon potential indicators in some geological environments. This applies particularly in areas where the soil composition rather than the composition and permeability of the underlying rock or superficial deposits are the dominant controls of radon potential. It appears, therefore, that it may be necessary to use different radon site investigation methods according to the specific factors controlling radon emanation from the ground. In some cases no method will provide a reliable indicator of radon risk under unfavourable climatic conditions.     

Radon as a tracer of tectonic movements

We suggest a model of radon emanation under compression or extension strain from a medium equivalent to rocks containing pores and cracks. The model is shown in several examples to be suitable for simulating the nucleation of rock bursts in deep mines and earthquakes. According to correlation of strain and radon measurements at the same sites, a relative strain change of n×10^?7 corresponds to a 200% change of radon activity concentration. This high sensitivity means that radon data can be good tracers of tectonic movements.     

Experimental study of radon production and transport in an analogue for the Martian regolith

The suggestion that radon could be used as a radioactive tracer of regolith-atmosphere exchanges and as a proxy for subsurface water on Mars, as well as its indirect detection in the Martian atmosphere by the rover Opportunity, have raised the need for a better characterization of its production process and transport efficiency in the Martian soil. More specifically, a proper estimation of radon exhalation rate on Mars requires its emanation factor and diffusion length to be determined. The dependence of the emanation factor as a function of pore water content (at 267 and 293 K) and the dependence of the adsorption coefficient on temperature, specific surface area and nature of the carrier gas (He, He + CO₂) have been measured on a Martian soil analogue (Hawaiian palagonitized volcanic ash, JSC Mars-1), whose radiometric analysis has been performed. An estimation of radon diffusion lengths on Mars is provided and is used to derive a global average emanation factor (2-6.5%) that accounts for the exhalation rate inferred from the ²¹⁰Po surface concentration detected on Martian dust and from the ²¹⁴Bi signal measured by the Mars Odyssey Gamma Ray Spectrometer. It is found to be much larger than emanation factors characterizing lunar samples, but lower than the emanation factor of the palagonite samples obtained under dry conditions. This result probably reflects different degrees of aqueous alteration and could indicate that the emanation factor is also affected by the current presence of pore water in the Martian soil. The rationale of the “radon method” as a technique to probe subsurface water on Mars, and its sensitivity to soil parameters are discussed. These experimental data are useful to perform more detailed studies of radon transport in the Martian atmosphere using Global Climate Models and to interpret neutron and gamma data from Mars Odyssey Gamma Ray Spectrometer.