Radon Concentration in Galleries and Its Relation to the Earthquake Occurrence

Abstract

The concentration of ²²²Rn in air in the gallery at Mikawa. Crustal Movement Observatory (Toyohashi City, central Japan) has been continuously measured with a flow-type ionization chamber since April, 1977 for the investigation of pre-earthquake anomalies. The observed ²²²Rn concentration shows remarkable increase after rainfall. It seems that ²²²Rn rich air is squeezed in the gallery by the contractile force caused by rainfalls from faults with elevated ²²⁶Ra content. The variation of ²²²Rn concentration in the gallery has been calculated from the rainfall data from June, 1977 to December, 1979. Sometimes remarkable disagreements between the observed and calculated values of the ²²²Rn concentration are seen before and after the occurrence of nearby earthquakes. Such a disagreement might be a precursor of nearby earthquake. The concentration of ²²²Rn is also influenced by the changes in atomospheric pressure; it increases as the pressure drops and decreases as the pressure rises. Seasonal variations are recognized, too. Continuous observation of ²²²Rn has also been started in June, 1980 at Kikugawa Crustal Movement Observational Station (Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan).