U.S. Geological Survey

U.S. Geological Survey Publications (How to Order)

The Geology of Radon

Field Studies of Radon in Rocks, Soils, and Water: USGS Bulletin 1971 - Edited by Linda C.S. Gundersen and Richard B. Wanty, 1991.

Bowles, C.G. and Reimer, G. M., 1991, Short-term fluctuations in barometric pressure, soil-gas radon and gamma radiation: U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 91-641, 7 p.

Duval, J.S., Otton, J.K., and Jones, W.J., 1988, Radium distribution and radon potential in the Bonneville Power service area: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 89-340, 126 p.

Gundersen L.C.S., Reimer, G.M., Wiggs, C.R. and Rice, C.A., 1988, Map showing radon potential of rocks and soils in Montgomery County, Maryland: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map, MF-2043, 1 plate.

Lawrence, E.P., Wanty, R.B., and Briggs, P.H., 1991, Maps showing hydrostatic levels and general ground-water quality for an area near Conifer, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Investigations Map MF-2165, scale 1:24,000.

Otton, J.K., Schumann, R.R., Owen, D.E., Thurman, N., and Duval, J.S., 1988, Map showing radon potential of rocks and soils in Fairfax County, Virginia: U.S. Geological Survey Map MF-2047, scale 1:48,000.

Otton, J.K., 1992, Radon in soil gas and soil radioactivity in Prince George's County, Maryland: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report No. 92- 11, 18p., 1 plate.

Reimer, G.M., 1988, Radon soil-gas survey in Prince Georges County, Maryland: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 88-52, 6 p.

Schumann, R.R., and Owen, D.E., 1988, Relationships between geology, equivalent uranium concentration, and radon in soil gas, Fairfax County, Virginia: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 88-18, 27 p.

Schumann, R.R., ed., 1993, Geologic radon potential of the United States: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 93-292, parts A-J, various authors.

Tanner, A.B., 1960, Usefulness of the emanation method in geologic exploration, in Geological Survey Research 1960: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 400-B, p. B111-B112.

Tanner, A.B., 1966, Natural radioactivity of ground water, in Feth, J.H., Geology of the Weber Delta an adjacent areas, Utah, with respect to the occurrence of ground water: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 518, p. 63-66.

Tanner, Allan B., 1986, Indoor radon and its sources in the ground: U.S. Geol. Survey Open-File Rept. 86-222, 5 p.

Tanner, Allan B., 1992, Bibliography of radon in the outdoor environment with selected references on gas mobility in the ground: U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 92-351 (about 300 p.), also available on disk in WordPerfect 5.0 format.
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Articles by USGS Authors in Other Publications

Brown, R.B., Nielson, K.K., Otton, J.K., Harris, W.G., Kuehl, R.J., and Roessler, C.E., 1993, Linking information on geology and soils to create a map of radon risk, in Kimble, J.M., ed., Proceedings of the Eighth International Soil Management Workshop: Utilization of soil survey information for sustainable land use, July 10-24, 1992, Oregon, California, and Nevada: Lincoln, NE, USDA, Soil Conservation Service, p. 67-76.

Duval, J.S., and Otton, J.K., 1990, Radium distribution and indoor radon in the Pacific Northwest: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 17, no. 6, p. 801-804.

Duval, J.S., Otton, J.K., and Jones, W.J., 1989, Estimation of radon potential in the Pacific Northwest using geological data: U.S. Department of Energy, Bonneville Power Administration report DOE/BP-1234, 146 p.

Frishman, D., Day, W.C., Folger, P.F., Wanty, R.B., Briggs, P.H., and Poeter, E., 1993, Bedrock geologic controls on radon abundance in domestic well water, Conifer, Colorado, in The 1993 International Radon Conference, Denver, Colorado, Proceedings: Denver, Colo., 1993, The American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists, p. IV20-IV30.

Gates, A.E. and Gundersen, L.C.S., 1989, The role of ductile shearing in the concentration of radon in the Brookneal mylonite zone, Virginia: Geology, v. 17, p. 391-394.

Gates, A.E., and Gundersen, L.C.S., 1993, Sensitivity of radon in soil to geology and the distribution of radon and uranium in the Hylas zone, Virginia, in Gates, A.E., and Gundersen, L.C.S., (eds.), Geologic Controls on Radon; Geological Society of America Special Paper, no. 271, p. 53-64.

Gates, A.E., Gundersen, L.C.S., and Malizzi, L.D. 1990, Comparison of radioactive element distribution between similar faulted crystalline terranes: Glaciated versus unglaciated: Geophysical Research Letters, V. 17, no. 6, p. 813-816.

Gundersen, L. C.S, Peake, R.T., Latske, G.D., Hauser, L.M., and Wiggs,C.R., 1991, A statistical summary of uranium and radon in soils from the Coastal Plain of Texas, Alabama, and New Jersey: in Proceedings of the 1990 International Symposium on Radon and Radon Reduction Technology,Volume 2: Symposium Oral Papers, EPA-600/9-91/026b (NTIS PB91-234450), p. CVI4/1-13.

Gundersen, L.C.S. and Peake, R. T., 1992, Radon and Uranium in the Coastal Plain of Texas, Alabama and New Jersey: in Gates, A.E., and Gundersen, L.C.S., (eds.), Geologic Controls on Radon; Geological Society of America Special Paper, no. 271, p. 53-64.

Gundersen, L.C.S., 1989, Anomalously high radon in shear zones: Proceedings of the 1988 Symposium on Radon and Radon Reduction Technology, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Washington D.C. EPA/600-89, p. VI 1-14.

Gundersen, L.C.S., 1991, Focus on Radon and Radionuclides: Geotimes, v. 36, n. 8, p. 17-18.

Gundersen, L.C.S., 1992, Hidden hazards of radon-Scanning the country for problem locations: Earth, v. 1, no. 6, p. 54-61.

Gundersen, L.C.S., 1992, The effect of rock type, grain size, sorting, permeability, and moisture on measurements of radon in soil gas, A comparison of two measurement techniques: Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, V. 161, no. 2, p. 325-338.

Gundersen, L.C.S., 1993, The correlation between bedoric geology and indoor radon: Where it works and where it doesn't--some examples from the Eastern United States, in The 1993 International Radon Conference, September 20-22, 1993, Denver, Colorado, Preprints, p. IV-1--IV-8.

Gundersen, L.C.S., and Peake, R. T., 1992, Radon and Uranium in the Coastal Plain of Texas, Alabama and New Jersey, in Gates, A.E., and Gundersen, L.C.S., (eds.), Geologic Controls on Radon; Geological Society of America Special Paper, no. 271, p. 53-64.

Gundersen, L.C.S., Reimer, G.M., and Agard S., 1988, The correlation between geology, radon in soil gas, and indoor radon in the Reading Prong, in Marikos, M. (ed.) Proceedings of the GEORAD Conference: Geological Causes of Radionuclide Anomalies, Missouri Department of Natural Resources Special Publication 4, p. 91-102.

Gundersen, L.C.S., Schumann, R.R., Otton, J.K., Owen, D.E., Dubiel, R.F., Dickinson, K.A., 1992, Geology of Radon in the United States: in Gates, A.E., and Gundersen, L.C.S., (eds.), Geologic Controls on Radon; Geological Society of America Special Paper 271, p. 1-16.

Landa, Edward R., Stieff, Lorin R., Germani, Mark S., Tanner, Allan B., and Evans, John R., 1994, Intense alpha-particle emitting crystallites in uranium mill wastes: Nuclear Geophysics, v. 8, p. 443-454.

Lawrence, E., Poeter, E., and Wanty, R.B., 1991, Geohydrologic, geochemical, and geologic controls on the occurrence of radon in ground water near Conifer, Colorado, USA: Journal of Hydrology, v. 127, p. 367-386.

Lawrence, E.P., Wanty, R.B., and Nyberg, P., 1992, Contribution of 222Rn in domestic water supplies to 222Rn in indoor air in homes in Colorado: Health Physics, v. 62, p. 171-177.

Lombardi, Salvatore, and Reimer, G.M., 1990, Radon and helium in soil gases in the Phlegraean Fields, Central Italy: Geophysical Research Letters, v.17, p. 849-852.

Nielson, K.K., Rogers, V.C., Brown, R.B., Harris, W.G., and Otton, J.K., 1991, Prototype mapping of radon potentials in Florida: The 1991 Annual American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists National Fall Conference: Preprints volume I, p.145-162.

Otton, J.K. and Duval, J.S., 1990, Geologic controls on indoor radon in the Pacific Northwest, in Proceedings of the 1990 International Symposium on Radon and Radon Reduction Technology, Volume 3: Preprints: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report EPA/600/9-90/005c, unpaginated.

Otton, J.K., 1989, Mapping the radon potential of rocks and soils: The Professional Geologist, v. 26, no. 5, p. 8; also Virginia Minerals, v. 35, no. 1, p. 2-3.

Otton, J.K., and Asher-Bolinder, S., 1993, Elevated indoor radon associated with soils developed on Pleistocene limestones in tropical and subtropical latitudes, in The 1993 International Radon Conference- Preprints: American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists Annual Meeting, September 20-22, 1993, p. IV32-39.

Reimer, G. M. and Tanner, A.B., 1991, Radon in the geological environment: in Nierenberg, W.A., ed., Encyclopedia of Earth System Science: San Diego, California, Academic Press, p. 705-712.

Reimer, G.M. and Gundersen, L.C.S., 1989, A direct correlation among indoor radon, soil-gas radon and geology in the Reading Prong near Boyertown, Pennsylvania: Health Physics, v. 57, p. 155-160.

Reimer, G.M., 1990, Application of reconnaissance techniques for determining soil-gas radon concentrations: an example from Prince Georges County, Maryland: Geophysical Research Letters, v.17, p. 809-812.

Reimer, G.M., 1990, Helium soil-gas survey of the Crownpoint area, New Mexico: Consideration of the regional distribution: in Durrance, E., ed., Geochemistry of Gaseous Elements and Compounds,: Athens, Greece, Theophrastus Publications, p. 449-456.

Reimer, G.M., 1992, Methodology for rapid assessment of the radon potential of soils: Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, v. 161, p. 377-387.

Reimer, G.M., 1992, Using soil-gas radon and geology to estimate regional radon potential: Radiation Protection Dosimetry, v. 45, p. 219-222.

Reimer, G.M., Been, J.M., and Szarzi, S.L., 1988, Technique for rapid field assessment of radon soil-gas concentrations: in Osborne, M.C., and Harrison, Jed, Symposium Co-chairman, The 1988 Symposium on Radon and Radon Reduction Technology, Proceedings, v. 2, Symposium Poster Papers, Research Triangle Park, N.C., Radian Corporation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Publication EPA/600/9-89/006b, p. 3-51--3-54.

Reimer, G.M., and Tanner, A.B., 1991, Radon in the geological environment, inNierenberg, W.A., ed., Encyclopedia of Earth System Science, Vol. 3: SanDiego, Calif., Academic Press, Inc., p. 705-712

Schultz, A.P., Wiggs, C.R., and Brower, S.D, 1992, Geologic and environmental implications of high soil-gas radon concentrations in the Great Valley, Jefferson and Berkeley Counties, West Virginia: in Gates, A.E., and Gundersen, L.C.S, eds., Geologic Controls on Radon, Geological Society of America Special Paper 271: 29-43.

Schumann, R.R., 1993, Geologic radon potential of the glaciated Upper Midwest, in Proceedings: The 1992 International Symposium on Radon and Radon Reduction Technology, vol. 2, Symposium Oral Papers, Technical Sessions VII-XII: Research Triangle Park, N.C., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Rept. EPA-600/R-93/083b, p. 8-33--8-49.

Schumann, R.R., 1993, The radon emanation coefficient: An important tool for geologic radon potential estimations, in The 1993 International Radon Conference, September 20-22, 1993, Denver, Colorado, Preprints, p. IV-40--IV-47.

Schumann, R.R., Gundersen, L.C.S., and Tanner, A.B., 1994, Geology andoccurrence of radon, Chap. 6 in Nagda, Niren, ed., Radon: Prevalence, Measurements, Health Risks and Control: Philadelphia, Pa., American Society of Testing and Materials, p. 83-96.

Schumann, R.R., Owen, D.E., and Asher-Bolinder, S., 1989, Weather factors affecting soil-gas radon concentrations at a single site in the semiarid western U.S., in Osborne, M.C., and Harrison, J., Symposium Cochairmen., Proceedings of the 1988 EPA Symposium on Radon and Radon Reduction Technology, v. 2, EPA Publication EPA/600/9-89/006B, p. 3-1--3-13.

Schumann, R.R., Owen, D.E., and Asher-Bolinder, Sigrid, 1992, Effects of weather and soil characteristics on temporal variations in soil-gas radon concentrations, in Gates, A.E., and Gundersen, L.C.S. (eds), Geologic controls on radon: GSA Special Paper 271, p . 65-72.

Schumann, R.R., Peake, R.T., Schmidt, K.M., and Owen, D.E., 1990, Correlations of soil-gas and indoor radon with geology in glacially derived soils of the northern Great Plains, in Proceedings of the 1990 International Symposium on Radon and Radon Reduction Technology, Volume 3: Preprints: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report EPA/600/9-90/005c, unpaginated (14 p.).

Tanner, A.B., 1959, Meteorological influence on radon concentration in drillholes: Mining Engineering, v. 11, no. 7, p. 706-708.

Tanner, A.B., 1976, Radionuclides in the Earth, in Natural Background Radiation in the United States: National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements Rept. 45, p. 44-59.

Tanner, A.B., 1988, A tentative protocol for measurement of radon availability from the ground: Radiation Protection Dosimetry, v. 24, no. 1/4, p. 79-83, and Northeastern Environmental Science, v. 71, p. 58-62.

Tanner, A.B., 1988, Radionuclides in the Earth, Chap. 4 in Natural Background Radiation in the United States: National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements Rept. no. 94, p. 48-67. (Authorship not identified in report.)

Tanner, A.B., 1991, Error in measuring radon in soil gas by means of passive detectors: Nuclear Geophysics, 5(1/2): 25-30

Tanner, Allan B., 1964, Physical and chemical controls on distribution of radium and radon in ground water near Great Salt Lake, Utah, Chap. 14 in Adams, J.A.S., and Lowder, W.M., eds., The Natural Radiation Environment: Chicago Univ. Press, p. 253-276.

Tanner, Allan B., 1964, Radon migration in the ground: A review, Chap. 9 in Adams, J.A.S., and Lowder, W.M., eds., The Natural Radiation Environment: Chicago Univ. Press, p. 161-190.

Tanner, Allan B., 1980, Radon migration in the ground: A supplementary review, in Gesell, T.F., and Lowder, W.M., eds., Natural Radiation Environment III: U.S. Dept. Energy Rept. CONF-780422, v. 1, p. 5-56.

Tanner, Allan B., 1986, Geological factors that influence radon availability, in Indoor Radon, Proceedings of Air Pollution Control Association International Specialty Conference: Pittsburgh, Air Pollution Control Assoc. Special Pub. SP-54, p. 1-12.

Tanner, Allan B., 1988, Measurement of radon availability from soil, in Marikos, M.A., and Hansman, R.H., eds., Geologic Causes of Natural Radionuclide Anomalies, Proceedings of the GEORAD Conference, St. Louis, Mo., April 21-22, 1987: Rolla, Mo., Missouri Dept. Nat. Resources, Div. Geology and Land Survey Spec. Pub. No. 4, p. 139-146.

Tanner, Allan B., 1989, A tentative protocol for measurement of radon availability from the ground [posters], in Osborne, M.C., and Harrison, Jed, Symposium Cochairmen, The 1988 Symposium on Radon and Radon Reduction Technology, Proc., Vol. 2, Symposium Poster Papers: Research Triangle Park, N.C., Radian Corp., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Pub. EPA/600/9-89/006b, p. 3-15--3-24.

Tanner, Allan B., 1989, The source of radon in houses, in Harley, N.H., ed., Radon. Proceedings of the Twenty-fourth Annual Meeting of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Washington, D.C., March 30-31, 1988: Bethesda, Md., Natl. Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Proc. Ser., no. 10, p. 159-168.

Tanner, Allan B., 1991, The role of diffusion in radon entry into houses, in The 1990 International Symposium on Radon and Radon Reduction Technology, Atlanta, Ga., 19-23 February 1990: Research Triangle Park, N.C., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Rept. EPA600/9-91-026b, Proceedings, Vol. 2: Symposium Oral Papers, Paper No. V-2, p. 5-21--5-32 [NTIS Order No. PB91-234450/AS]

Tanner, Allan B., 1994, Measurement and determination of radon source potential. A literature review: U.S. Natl. Inst. Standards and Technology Rept. NISTIR-5399, 190 + viii p.

Tanner, Allan B., and Olsen, Curtis R., 1992, Technical highlights of the availability and entry projects of the U.S. Department of Energy's Radon Research Program, in International Symposium on the Natural Radiation Environment, 5th, Salzburg, Austria, 22-28 September 1991: Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 45(1-4), Supplement: 367-372

Tanner, Allan, 1991, Possibilities and caveats for using geological data to fill in missing exposure data, in Report on the Second International Workshop on Residential Radon, Alexandria, Va., 22-23 July 1991, Workshop Proceedings: U.S. Dept. Energy and Commission of European Communities Rept. CONF-9107220, p. 5-6.

Wanty, R.B., and Gundersen, L.C.S., 1988, Radionuclide concentrations in groundwater from two areas in the Reading Prong, Eastern Pennsylvania: in Marikos, Mark (ed.), Proceedings of the GEORAD Conference: Geological Causes of Radionuclide Anomalies. Missouri Department of Natural Resources Special Publication 4, p. 147-156.

Wanty, R.B., and Nordstrom, D.K., 1993, Chapter 17: Natural Radionuclides, in Alley, W.M., ed., Regional Ground-Water Quality: Van Nostrand Reinhold, p. 423-441.

Wanty, R.B., Folger, P.F., Frishman, D., Briggs, P.H., Day, W.C., and Poeter, E., 1992, Weathering of Pikes Peak Granite: Field, experimental, and modelling observations, in Kharaka, Y.K., and Maest, A.S., Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Water-Rock Interaction: A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, p. 599-602.

Wanty, R.B., Johnson, S.L., and Briggs, P.H., 1991, Radon-222 and its parent radionuclides in ground water from two study areas in New Jersey and Maryland: Applied Geochemistry v. 6, p. 305-318.

Wanty, R.B., Lawrence, E.P., and Gundersen, L.C.S., 1992, Radon-222 flux from rock to ground water: Implications for the residence of uranium in rocks, in Gates, A.E., and Gundersen, L.C.S, eds., Geologic Controls of Radon, Geological Society of America Special Paper 271, p. 73-78.

Wanty, R.B., Rice, C.A., Langmuir, D., Briggs, P.H., and Lawrence, E.P., 1991, Prediction of uranium adsorption by crystalline rocks: the key role of reactive surface area: Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings Series, v. 212, p. 695-702.

White, S.J., Gundersen, L.C.S., and Schumann, R.R., 1992, Development of EPA's map of radon zones, in The 1992 International Symposium on Radon and Radon Reduction Technology, Preprints: Research Triangle Park, NC, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, paper VIII-4, (14 p.)

Yokel, Felix Y., and Tanner, Allan B., 1992, Site exploration for radon source potential: U.S. Natl. Inst. Standards and Technology Rept. NISTIR-5135, 76 p.

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