Prediction of Seasonal Radon Concentration from Weekly Screening Measurements

Abstract

The reliability of short-term radon measurements for as little as 1 week for predicting seasonal and annual radon concentrations is described. The study is based on continuous weekly radon measurements in an indoor environment made over a period of 1 year. Statistical analysis of the results shows that the probability that a weekly measurement represents the yearly radon concentra tion is >0.47 only during winter and spring, a figure little changed for a month ly measurement. Probabilities >0.55 are obtained when the averaging period is 6 weeks but only in the winter and spring. Overall the results indicate that short-term radon measurements appear to represent the year-long average only if the measurements are made during winter and spring.