A kinetics study for reaction process of Rn daughter and atmospheric trace gas using alpha track detection

A number of investigators have reported formation of radiolytic ultrafine particles produced by the interaction of ionizing radiation with atmospheric trace gases. Previous studies have suggested that a very high localized concentration of the hydroxyl radical produced by the radiolysis of water can react with atmospheric trace gases such as SO2 and produce lower vapor pressure compounds that can subsequently nucleate. To determine the trace gas and water vapor concentration dependence of the active, positively charged, first decay product of radon (Po-218), a well-controlled radon chamber was used in this research. The mobility spectrum of the decay products in the range of 0.07-5.0 cm2/V.sec from the radon chamber was measured using alpha track detector installed inside a specially-designed electrostatic spectrometer. Measurements were taken for different concentrations (0.5 ppm to 5 ppm) of SO2 in purified, compressed air. A kinetics study following the clustering of SO2 around the PoOx + ion in an excess of SO2 for interpretation of the reaction processes was performed