Project inserted in the frame of the ICOS-CH infrastructure (Integrated Carbon Observation System- the Swiss contribution to a European Research Infrastructure)

Cooperation: ANSTO Atmospheric Mixing  (Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation)

Radon-222 is naturally emitted from land surfaces. The only sink of this noble gas in the atmosphere is radioactive decay. Its half-life of 3.8 days provides for large concentration differences between the planetary boundary layer and free tropospheric air, making it a good tracer for recent land contact of air masses sampled at the high altitude observatory Jungfraujoch. Through this project we provide daily updated radon-222 concentrations for Jungfraujoch (3454 m a.s.l.) and for Bern (575 m a.s.l.), located 60 km to the NW of Jungfraujoch. Earlier results of the project include the characterisation (mapping) of radon-222 flux in Europe, the USA and Russia.