MEASUREMENTS OF RADON AND THORON PROGENY CONCENTRATIONS IN DWELLINGS OF TEHRI GARHWAL, INDIA, USING LR-115 DEPOSITION-BASED DTPS/DRPS TECHNIQUE

摘要

This paper presents the values of radon and thoron progeny concentrations for different seasons in the dwellings of Tehri Garhwal, India. The measurements have been carried out using LR-115 solid-state nuclear track detector-based passive time-integrated direct thoron progeny sensor/direct radon progeny sensor technique. In summer, the radon and thoron progeny have been found to vary from 5.7 ± 0.8 to 153.2 ± 4.3 Bq m~(-3) with an average of 37.6 Bq m~(-3) and 0.3 ± 0.06 to 3.2 ± 0.19 Bq m~(-3) with an average of 1.3 Bq m~(-3), respectively. In the rainy season, the radon and thoron progeny have been found to vary from 3.2 ± 0.6 to 120 ± 3.7 Bq m~(-3) with an average of 58.2 Bq m~(-3) and 0.2 ± 0.05 to 11.3 ± 0.37 Bq m~(-3) with an average of 3.4 Bq m~(-3), respectively. In autumn, the radon and thoron progeny have been found to vary from 4.1 ± 0.7 to 374.4 ± 6.7 Bq m~(-3) with an average of 95.6 Bq m~(-3) and from 0.3 ± 0.06 to 30.5 ± 0.60 Bq m~(-3) with an average of 6.6 Bq m~(-3) respectively. In winter, the radon and thoron progeny have been found to vary from 9.8 ± 1.1 to 188.9 ± 4.8 Bq m~(-3) with an average of 70.7 Bq m~(-3) and 0.1 ± 0.03 to 7.5 ± 0.30 Bq m~(-3) with an average of 2.3 Bq m~(-3), respectively. It has been observed that the average value of radon and thoron progeny concentrations is maximum for autumn and minimum for summer seasons. The seasonal variations in radon and thoron progeny concentrations in different houses are discussed in detail.