Radon as a tracer of tectonic movements

We suggest a model of radon emanation under compression or extension strain from a medium equivalent to rocks containing pores and cracks. The model is shown in several examples to be suitable for simulating the nucleation of rock bursts in deep mines and earthquakes. According to correlation of strain and radon measurements at the same sites, a relative strain change of n×10−7 corresponds to a 200% change of radon activity concentration. This high sensitivity means that radon data can be good tracers of tectonic movements.