title: Radon transport: laboratory and model study.
abstract: In order to exploit radon profiles for geophysical purposes and also to estimate its entry indoors, it is necessary to study its transport through porous soils. The great number of involved parameters and processes affecting the emanation of radon from the soil grains and its transport in the source medium has led to many theoretical and/or laboratory studies. The authors report the first results of a laboratory study carried out at the Radioactivity Laboratory of the Department of Physics and Astronomy (University of Catania) by means of a facility for measuring radon concentrations in the sample pores at various depths under well-defined and controlled conditions of physical parameters. In particular, radon concentration vertical profiles extracted in low-moisture samples for different advective fluxes and temperatures were compared with expected concentrations, according to a three-phase transport model developed by Andersen (Risø National Laboratory, Denmark), showing, in general, a good agreement between measurements and model calculations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Catania, via Santa Sofia, 64, Catania I-95123, Italy National Institute for Nuclear Physics-Division of Catania, via Santa Sofia, 64, Catania I-95123, Italy roberto.catalano@ct.infn.it.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Catalano
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Catania, via Santa Sofia, 64, Catania I-95123, Italy National Institute for Nuclear Physics-Division of Catania, via Santa Sofia, 64, Catania I-95123, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Immé
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Catania, via Santa Sofia, 64, Catania I-95123, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mangano
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Nuclear Physics-Division of Catania, via Santa Sofia, 64, Catania I-95123, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morelli
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology-Etna Observatory, Piazza Roma, 2, Catania I-95125, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aranzulla
mesh_terms: D004058:Diffusion; D005740:Gases; D055593:Geological Phenomena; D006813:Humidity; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010316:Particle Size; D016062:Porosity; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D012987:Soil; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D005740:Gases; D012987:Soil; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D011886:Radon