EGU21-10304, updated on 05 Jan 2024
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-10304
EGU General Assembly 2021
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

The Empirical Bayesian Regression Kriging (EBRK) to map the Geogenic Radon Potential (GRP). A case of study from the Euganean Hills (Italy).

Chiara Coletti1, Giancarlo Ciotoli2, Eleonora Benà1, Erika Brattich3, Giorgia Cinelli4, Antonio Galgaro1, Matteo Massironi1, Claudio Mazzoli1, Domiziano Mostacci5, Paolo Mozzi1, Livio Ruggiero6, Alessandra Sciarra6, Laura Tositti7, and Raffaele Sassi1
Chiara Coletti et al.
  • 1Department of Geosciences, University of Padova, Via Gradenigo 6, 25131 Padova, Italy (chiara.coletti@unipd.it)
  • 2Institute of Environmental Geology and Geoengineering, National Research Council, 00015 Roma, Italy
  • 3Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Bologna, via Irnerio 46, 40126 Bologna, Italy
  • 4European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Via Enrico Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra VA, Italy
  • 5Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Bologna, Via dei Colli 16, 40136 Bologna, Italy
  • 6National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Via Vigna Murata 605, 00143 Roma, Italy
  • 7Department of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”, University of Bologna, Via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy

In the volcanic area of the Euganean Hills district (100 km2), the indoor radon often exceeds the threshold level of 300 Bq/m3 stipulated by the Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom, thus suggesting the need to investigate the possible link between observed radon concentrations and the local geology (Trotti et al., 1998,1999; Strati et al., 2014). More recently, statistical and geostatistical analysis on rock samples identified high U, Th and K concentrations associated with areas characterised by trachyte and rhyolite lithologies (Tositti et al., 2017). With this contribution, we completed our investigation on the natural radioactivity in the Euganean Hills district extending the rocks dataset, performing on-site soil gas survey, and considering other important factors which can locally increase the radon occurrence, such as hydrothermal alterations, types of soils (e.g., geochemistry or presence of organic matters), and faults. Furthermore, we elaborated a Geogenic Radon Potential map to assess the local spatial relationships between the measured soil gas radon concentrations and seven proxy-variables: fault density (FD), total gamma radiation dose (TGDR), 220Rn (Tn), digital terrain mode (SLOPE), moisture index (MI), heat load index (HLI) and soil permeability (PERM). Empirical Bayesian Regression Kriging (EBRK) was used to develop the most accurate hazard map of the considered area, thus, providing the local administration an up-to-date decisional tool for the land use planning. For the high radon emission measured, the high density of dwelling, and its geomorphological features, the Euganean Hills district represented a very meaningful case of study.  

 

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Tositti L., Cinelli G., Brattich E., Galgaro A., Mostacci D., Mazzoli C., Massironi M., Sassi R., 2017. Assessment of lithogenic radioactivity in the Euganean Hills magmatic district (NE Italy). J. Environ. Radioact. 166, 259–269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.07.011

How to cite: Coletti, C., Ciotoli, G., Benà, E., Brattich, E., Cinelli, G., Galgaro, A., Massironi, M., Mazzoli, C., Mostacci, D., Mozzi, P., Ruggiero, L., Sciarra, A., Tositti, L., and Sassi, R.: The Empirical Bayesian Regression Kriging (EBRK) to map the Geogenic Radon Potential (GRP). A case of study from the Euganean Hills (Italy)., EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-10304, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-10304, 2021.