GI6.1
Geoscience applications of environmental radioactivity
Convener: Susana Barbosa | Co-conveners: Xuemeng ChenECSECS, Anita Erőss, Virginia StratiECSECS, Katalin Zsuzsanna Szabó
Displays
| Attendance Fri, 08 May, 14:00–15:45 (CEST)

Natural radioactivity is ubiquitous in the environment as a result of i) cosmic radiation from space and secondary radiation from the interaction of cosmic rays with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere, ii) terrestrial sources from mineral grains in soils and rocks, particularly Potassium (K-40), Uranium (U-238) and Thorium (Th-232), and their decay products, and iii) Radon gas (Rn-222). Moreover, fallout of artificial radionuclides (e.g. 137Cs, 134Cs) from nuclear and radiation accidents and incidents contributes to additional environmental radioactivity. The use of nuclear techniques enables the measurement of radioactivity in air, soils and water even at trace levels, making it a particularly appealing tool for characterizing time-varying environmental phenomena. This session welcomes contributions addressing the measurement and exploitation of environmental radioactivity in all areas of geosciences, including, but not limited to:

- volcanic monitoring and surveillance;
- identification of faults and tectonic structures;
- mineral exploration;
- earthquakes;
- groundwater contamination;
- coastal and marine monitoring;
- soil erosion processes;
- Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORMs);
- geostatistical methods for radioactivity mapping;
- atmospheric tracing, including of greenhouse gases and pollutants
- atmospheric mixing and transport processes;
- air ionisation and atmospheric electricity;
- cosmic rays;
- public health including the EU BSS directive.

Contributions on novel methods and instrumentation for environmental radioactivity monitoring are particularly encouraged, including payloads for airborne measurements and small satellites.