Development of Radon Gas Sensor To Monitor The Precursors of Earthquake

Radon gas is colorless, odorless and tasteless and can only be detected by testing. It naturally occurs from traces of uranium in soils and rocks. It results from the decay of trace amounts of uranium, found in most rock and soil. It is measured using special monitors and expressed in units of bequerels per cubic metre (Bq/m3) or picocuries per litre (pCi/L). The air pressure inside the laboratory is usually lower than in the soil surrounding the foundation [4]. This difference in pressure draws air and other gases, including radon, from the soil into the atmosphere. The Uranium stays in the ground, but radon gas seeps upward and enters buildings. It can be used to predict the arrival of an earthquake. This is because radon is a radioactive gas and it can be traced by detecting alpha particles emitted during the decay of radon and its daughters. It can be achieved by using alpha sensitive solid state nuclear track detectors or some other suitable radon gas detectors.