Electrical conductivity of air related to ion pair production rate from radon and its progeny concentrations in dwellings of Mysore city

Abstract

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Radon gases released from the ground surface and building materials are the major sources of ionization in the indoor atmosphere. Radon will undergo radioactive decay in the atmosphere by emitting an alpha particle. The alpha and beta particles, and the gama rays from ²²²Rn, ²²⁰Rn and their decay products give up their energy by ionizing the molecules and aerosol particles in the atmosphere. Radon and its progeny concentrations and the electrical conductivity of air due to both polarities were measured simultaneously at a height of 1 m from the floor inside dwellings of Mysore city, India. Diurnal variations of radon and its progeny concentrations show their peak values in the early morning (0200 to 0600 hrs) throughout the year. Observations show an increase in the concentration of radon and its progeny during night time compared to the daytime values. The electrical conductivity of the atmospheric air also exhibits similar trend. These results are discussed in terms of ionization rate due to radioactivity and the influence of meteorological parameters on radon and its progeny concentrations.

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