Measurement of radon and thoron progeny outdoors in Malout, India, using grab aerosol sampling and beta counting

Defined solid angle absolute beta counting (DSAABC) technique was used to measure the equilibrium equivalent concentration of radon (EECRn) and thoron (EECTh) from the filtered aerosol samples collected at Malout, India, in the months of May–June 2003. Air was sampled thrice a day and relative humidity and temperature were noted to find the dependence of radon progeny on these variables in air. EECRn and EECTh were computed from concentrations of their respective progeny. In general, both EECRn and EECTh were higher during the morning and evening and were minimum in the afternoon. The value of EECRn ranged from 2.29 to 12.96Bqm-3, being minimum in the evening and maximum in the morning. Simultaneously measured values of EECTh varied from 0.058 to 1.799Bqm-3, having minimum and maximum values during the morning.