Characterizing the Automatic Radon Flux Transfer Standard System Autoflux: Laboratory Calibration and Field Experiments

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F70565813%3A_____%2F23%3AN0000022" target="_blank" >RIV/70565813:_____/23:N0000022 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://amt.copernicus.org/articles/16/2655/2023/" target="_blank" >https://amt.copernicus.org/articles/16/2655/2023/</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2655-2023" target="_blank" >10.5194/amt-16-2655-2023</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Characterizing the Automatic Radon Flux Transfer Standard System Autoflux: Laboratory Calibration and Field Experiments

Original language description

High-quality, long-term measurements of terrestrial trace gas emissions are important for investigations of atmospheric, geophysical and biological processes to help mitigate climate change and protect the environment and the health of citizens. High-frequency terrestrial fluxes of the radioactive noble gas 222Rn, in particular, are useful for validating radon flux maps and used to evaluate the performance of regional atmospheric models, to improve greenhouse gas emission inventories (by the radon tracer method) and to determine radon priority areas for radiation protection goals. A new automatic radon flux system (Autoflux) was developed as a transfer standard (TS) to assist with establishing a traceability chain for field-based radon flux measurements. The operational characteristics and features of the system were optimized based on a literature review of existing flux measurement systems. To characterize and calibrate Autoflux, a bespoke radon exhalation bed (EB) facility was also constructed with the intended purpose of providing a constant radon exhalation under a specific set of controlled laboratory conditions. The calibrated Autoflux was then used to transfer the derived calibration to a second continuous radon flux system under laboratory conditions; both instruments were then tested in the field and compared with modeled fluxes. This paper presents (i) a literature review of state-of-the-art radon flux systems and EB facilities; (ii) the design, characterization and calibration of a reference radon EB facility; (iii) the design, characterization and calibration of the Autoflux system; (iv) the calibration of a second radon flux system (INTE_Flux) using the EB and Autoflux, with a total uncertainty of 9 % (k = 1) for an average radon flux of ∼ 1800 mBq m−2 s−1 under controlled laboratory conditions; and (v)​​​​​​​ an example application of the calibrated TS and INTE_Flux systems for in situ radon flux measurements, which are then compared with simulated radon fluxes. Calibration of the TS under different environmental conditions and at lower reference fluxes will be the subject of a separate future investigation.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

10700 - Other natural sciences

Project

—

Continuities

R - Projekt Ramcoveho programu EK

Publication year

2023

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Atmospheric Measurement Techniques

ISSN

1867-8610

e-ISSN

1867-8548

Volume of the periodical

16

Issue of the periodical within the volume

10

Country of publishing house

DE - GERMANY

Number of pages

18

Pages from-to

2655-2672

UT code for WoS article

000999918200001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85164126684