Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussions www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net 1867-8610 3 1 2010 10.5194/amtd-3-675-2010 http://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/3/675/2010/ http://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/3/675/2010/amtd-3-675-2010.html http://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/3/675/2010/amtd-3-675-2010.pdf 675 695 2010-02-16 Comparison of one- and two-filter detectors for atmospheric ²²²Rn measurements Y. Xia yu.xia@unibas.ch H. Sartorius C. Schlosser U. Stöhlker F. Conen W. Zahorowski Institute of Environmental Geosciences, University of Basel, Bernoullistr. 30, 4056 Basel, Switzerland Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), Willy-Brandt-Str. 5, 38226 Salzgitter, Germany Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, PMB 1, Menai, NSW 2234, Australia Parallel monitoring of ²²²Rn and its short-lived progeny (²¹⁸Po and ²¹⁴Pb) were carried out from November 2007 to April 2008 close to the top of the Schauinsland mountain, partly covered with forest, in South-West Germany. Samples were aspired from the same location at 2.5 m above ground level. We measured ²²²Rn with a dual flow loop, two-filter detector and its short-lived progeny with a one-filter detector. A reference sector for events, facing a steep valley and dominated by pasture, was used to minimize differences between ²²²Rn and progeny-derived ²²²Rn activity concentrations. 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