Distribution of ²²²Rn decay products in a soil sample

Abstract

Common practice analysis of environmental samples is usually performed by assuming radon and its decay products from the U-Ra natural radioactive series are uniformly spread within the entire sample volume. This uniform distribution is an assumption that we intended to test using a volume sample. The results show that the actual distribution is not uniform and, consequently, needs to be treated as such for both measurement purposes and related simulations. Immediate applications include cross-disciplinary activities such as environmental studies, metrology applications and health (radiation hazards).