Abstract
This paper reports the measurement of radon concentration in well water at the site of Jalpaiguri (26°32′N, 88°46′E) near the active fault zone of West Bengal, India. Radon concentration has been measured in well water with the help of solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTD). The study indicates a positive correlation between radon anomaly and earthquake. The data of radon content in well water have been compared with that in soil gas at the same site.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baykara O, Dogru M (2006) Measurement of radon and uranium concentration in water and soil samples from East Anatolian active fault systems (Turkey). Rad Meas 41:362–367
Dickson BL (1990) Radium in ground water. In: The environmental behavior of radium. Int Atom Energy Agency Rep Ser 310(1):335–372
Dobrovolsky IP, Zubkov SI, Miachkin VI (1979) Estimation of the size of earthquake preparation zones. Pure Appl Geophys 117(5):1025–1044
Fleischer RL, Mogro-Campero A (1985) Association of subsurface radon changes in Alaska and the northeastern United States with earthquakes. Geochim Cosmochin Acta 49:1061–1071
Font Ll, BAixeras C, Moreno V, Bach J (2008) Soil radon levels across the Amer fault. Radiat Meas 43:S319–S323
Fu CC, Yang TF, Du J, Walia V, Chen YG, Liu TK, Chen CH (2008) Variations of helium and radon concentrations in soil gases from an active fault zone in Southern Taiwan. Radiat Meas 43:S348–S352
Ghosh D (2011) Soil radon anomaly in active and non-active zones as precursor of earthquake—a comparative study. Rad Meas. doi:10.1016/j.radmeas.2010.07.016
Igarashi G et al (1995) Ground-water radon anomaly before the Kobe earthquake in Japan. Science 269:60–61
Kito ME, Kuhaland MK, Dansereau RE (1996) Direct comparison of three methods for the determination of radon in well water. Health Phys 70:358–362
Moussa MM, El Arabi AGM (2003) Soil radon survey for tracing active fault: a case study along Qena-Safaga road, Eastern Desert. Egypt Rad Meas 37:211–216
Okabe S (1956) Time variation of the atmospheric radon content near the ground surface with relation to some geophysical phenomena. Mem Coll Sci Univ Kyoto Ser A 28(2):99–115
Ondoh T (2009) Investigation of precursory phenomena in the ionosphere, atmosphere and groundwater before large earthquakes of M > 6.5. Adv Space Res 43:214–223
Planinic J et al (2000) Searching for an earthquake precursor: temporal variations of radon in soil and water. FIZIKA B (Zagreb) 9(2):75–82
Scholz CH, Sykes LR, Aggarwal YP (1973) Earthquake prediction: a physical basis. Science 181:810–830
Segovia N, Mena M, Pena P, Tameez E, Seidel JL, Monnin M, Valdes C (1999) Soil radon time series; surveys in seismic and volcanic areas. Rad Meas 31:307–312
Steinitz G, Begin ZB, Gazit-Yaari N (1999) A statistically significant relation between Rn flux and weak earthquakes in the Dead Sea Rift Valley. Geology 31:307–312
Tanner AB (1964a) Physical and chemical control on distribution of radium- 226 and radon -222 in ground water near Great Salt Lake, Utah. In: Adams JAS, Lowder WM (eds) The natural radiation environment. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, III, pp 253–276
Tanner AB (1964b) Radon migration in thr ground: a review. In: Adams JAS, Lowder WM (eds) The natural radiation environment. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, III, pp 161–190
Ulomov VI, Mavashev BZ (1967) On fore runners of a strong tectonic earthquakes. Dokl Acad Sci USSR 176:319–322
Virk HS, Sharma AK, Walia V (1997) Correlation of alpha-logger radon data with microseismicity in N-W Himalaya. Curr Sci 72(9):656–663
Virk HS et al (2001) Helium/radon precursors anomalies of Chamoli earthquakes. J Geodyn 31:201–210
Zmazek B, Vaupotic J, Zivcic M, Premru U, Kobal I (2000) Radon monitoring for earthquake prediction in Slovenia. FizikaB(Zagreb) 9(3):111–118
Zmazek B, Zivcic M, Todorovski L, Dzeroski S, Vaupotic J, Kobal I (2005) Radon in soil gas how to identify anomalies caused by earthquakes. Appl Geochem 20:1106–1119
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge Prof. Asok Nath Basu, Former Vice-chancellor, Jadavpur University, Director, West Bengal Pollution Control Board, for his extraordinary enthusiasm, inspiration, and active guidance. They are also thankful to Prof. J. Jhampati, Principal, Jalpaiguri Engg. College, Dr. N.Chakraborty, Reader, Dept. of Physics, Jalpaiguri Engg. College, and Mr. S. Pramanik for their help and cooperation.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ghosh, D., Deb, A., Sahoo, S.R. et al. Radon as seismic precursor: new data with well water of Jalpaiguri, India. Nat Hazards 58, 877–889 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-010-9694-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-010-9694-3