Analysis of the vertical radon structure at the Spanish “El Arenosillo” tower station

This paper presents the analysis of one year radon and meteorological parameters data measured at the El Arenosillo tall-tower station, in the south-west of the Iberian Peninsula. Hourly measurements have been carried out at 10 m and 100 m a.g.l. Yearly and seasonal analyses show the expected diurnal concentration behavior with, depending on stability, larger nocturnal concentrations at 10 m than at 100 due to the nighttime poor vertical mixing, and similar concentrations at both heights during the insolation hours. Wind speed and wind direction sectorized analyses show the prevailing contributions for each season. Sectors with air having spent a large amount of time over the ocean and large wind speeds will lead to low concentrations at both levels, whereas inland sectors show a clear increase of the concentrations with similar overall averages for the two levels. Sierra Morena, Guadalquivir and Bethics System sectors (continental pathways) are the ones leading to larger concentrations for mild to large wind speeds. The daily evolution of radon concentration differences at both heights has been grouped into four clusters using a K-means algorithm method. The four clusters have been selected so that they sufficiently describe different characteristics in terms of stability. The temporal evolution of the mixing height (MH) and of the bulk diffusivity parameter (Kb) during the nocturnal period has been calculated using the temporal variation of 222Rn concentration at 10 m height and the concentration gradient with height, respectively. The results are consistent with the MH estimated using the GFS model and the values obtained in other works of the literature.

VARGAS Arturo;  ARNOLD Delia;  ADAME CARNERO Jose Antonio;  GROSSI Claudia;  HERNANDEZ CEBALLOS Miguel Angel;  BOLIVAR Juan Pedro; 

2015-01-12

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

JRC89976

0265-931X,   

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC89976,   

10.1016/j.jenvrad.2014.09.018,