Radon signals in geological (natural) geogas and in a simultaneous enhanced confined mode simulation experiment

Abstract

An enhanced confined mode (ECM) radon simulation experiment, tested in the laboratory in Jerusalem, was relocated to a subsurface geophysical observatory located 400 km apart, at a depth of 150 m and with a stable temperature. Five gamma sensors are placed around the ECM canister and lead shielding minimizes the influence of natural local gamma radiation. Simultaneous measurement of the geological radon and from radon in the ECM system indicates that the temporal variation of gamma radiation from radon in the ECM system contains annual, multi-day and daily signals, that correspond to signals in the local geological radon. This implies that a common external driver influences the radiation pattern of the geological radon and from radon inside the ECM canister. Once activated at BGO the typical variation pattern of the experimental system occurring in the laboratory changed to that occurring at the observatory. This is interpreted to indicate that the overall style of the temporal patterns of radiation from radon is site dependent. The outcome of this investigation conforms and further substantiates the recent suggestion that a component in solar radiation is driving the annual and daily periodic components in the variation of radon. New geophysical research potential is indicated.