Mapping terrestrial γ-dose rate in Europe based on routine monitoring data

It is the purpose of this paper to discuss the preparation of the terrestrial γ-dose rates using EURDEP data and to present seasonal maps of terrestrial γ-dose rates in Europe. Such maps could be used for the preparation of Rn222 source term which can be used for the validation of atmospheric transport models as well as for exploring variations in soil moisture content, an important parameter in flood prediction. These applications are the focus of the ongoing studies, but beyond the scope of this paper. In this paper, we show how the terrestrial γ-dose rate can be derived from the emergency monitoring data and two seasonal maps of γ-dose rates at the European scale are produced using geostatistics.