title: Hourly indoor radon measurements in a research house.
abstract: This paper reports and discusses the behaviour of radon concentration with time in an uninhabited dwelling. The relationship between variations in radon concentrations and indoor-outdoor temperatures and wind intensity has also been discussed. Radon concentration was measured hourly in a house located at a height of 800 m in the Lombard Prealps, at the top of the Valassina valley. The wind velocity and indoor-outdoor temperatures were measured by means of a meteorological station located on the terrace of the house. The data were analysed using the LBL model for indoor-outdoor air exchange and the models for the indoor accumulation of radon due to exhalation from building materials and pressure-driven infiltrations located underground. The role of wind and indoor-outdoor temperatures were analysed. The agreement of measurements with modelling clearly demonstrates the importance of the different sources of indoor radon. As the investigation was conducted in an uninhabited house, the measurements were not affected by the behaviour of people, e.g. opening and closing of windows. Measurements of the outdoor atmospheric concentrations of (222)Rn provide an index of the atmospheric stability, the formation of thermal inversions and convective turbulence.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Fisica Generale Applicata, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Celoria 16, 20133 Milan, Italy. lucia.sesana@unimi.it
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sesana
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Begnini
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006798:Housing; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis*; D012106:Research; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014919:Wind
chemical_list: D011886:Radon