Variation of 222Rn concentration in outdoor air due to variation of the atmospheric boundary layer

Variation of 222Rn concentration in outdoor air, returns of a monostatic acoustic sounder and sensible heat flux are simultaneously observed at Okayama-shi in Japan. The sensible heat flux is measured with an eddy correlation method using a sonic anemometer and a copper-constantan thermocouple thermometer. Using height of a surface-based inversion layer obtained by the acoustic sounder returns and two 222Rn concentrations during the presence of the surface-based inversion layer, the exhalation rate of 222Rn at this site is estimated to be about 0.01 Bq.m-2.s-1, which agrees well within the exhalation rate of 222Rn estimated at Nagoya-shi in Japan. Using the estimated exhalation rates of 222Rn and the variation of the 222Rn concentration in the daytime, heights of mixing layers are estimated. These heights of the mixing layers are larger than the height of the mixing layer estimated using the sensible heat flux and the representative vertical profile of the autumnal night time air temperature in this area. (author)