Where are Radon Hotspots in Scotland?

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– Measured in Becquerels per cubic metre (Bq/m-3)• Average household in UK: 20 Bq m-3

• Action level: 200 Bq m-3

Radon in Scotland

Why bother about Radon?

1. Colourless and odourless radioactive gas emitting α-particles.

2. Second most frequent cause of lung cancer in the US: 21,000 deaths/year (US EPA, 2013)

3. Causes 15% of lung cancers worldwide (US, EPA).4. Lastly, it is found…

IN YOUR HOME.

Morningside

Fountainbridge

Dalkeith

Scottish Borders, near Peebles

Haddington

Dunbar

Where I live

Scottish Government, 2009

Known sources of high radon concentrations

Objective:To identify the sources of high radon

concentration arriving at Tall Tower Angus (TTA).

Hypothesis: High radon events originate from these

known sources of high radon concentrations.

Raw Data

• HYbrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory

– Based on meteorological data (forecast/ archived).

– Predicted radioactive dispersion of Chernobyl and Fukushima.

– Traced source of SARS from Taiwan via Asian Dust Storm.

– 20 High Concentration Trajectories (HCTs) were identified and run.

Methods: HYSPLIT

• OneGeology Maps

– Overlay in Google Earth.– To aid source identification.– 3 main rock types:

• Sedimentary• Endogenous• Extrusive

– Respective radon concentration bands:• Low: 135 - 1800 mBq m-3

• Med: 1801 - 3465 mBq m-3

• High: 3466 - 5130 mBq m-3

Methods: Geological Maps

Results (1)High concentration radon originate from the UK and mainland Europe as well as Greenland and North America

Results (2)

Highest Concentration

Trajectory

North American Trajectory

Existence of low-level transport of high concentration radon

Greenland Trajectory

Cornwall Trajectory

• Low-level transport of radon could mean

Discussion

Conclusion