Earthquake speciallists have long been aware that the level of radon in well water increase at the time of earthquake activity. Now earth scientists at General Electric's Reaserch and Development Center have reported on research that tracks radon in air, and give promise of enhancing our ability to predict quakes.
From right to left in the photo, they are Dr. Antonio MogroCampero, Dr. Robert L. Flesvher, and Richard S, Likes. Using special plastic radon detector cups (see at left) they have monitored radon concentrations in shallow holes at Thoreau. N.M.. and at Blue Mountain Lake.N.Y.. where there are many "showers" of small quakes each year. Radon is a raido gas. a daughter product of the dacay if uranium. which is widely distributed in the Earth's crust. it escapes through the many fissures in the uppermost layers of the crust- fissures in the uppermost changes during periods of violet geological upheaval. The plastic detectors used in the study were manufactured for use in uranium exploration; where there is radon, there is uranium. The plastic cup registers alpha particles is etched, tracks left by the alpha particles are revealed. The more tracks, the higher the concentration. The GE scientists found that in two 55-foot-deep holes at the New Mexico site, "puffs" of radon at twice normal concentrations appeared,twise in nine months. And at Blue Mountain Lake, they found upsurges in the radon levels just at the time of the largest quakes.
