Direct high-precision radon quantification for interpreting high-frequency greenhouse gas measurements

Kikaj, Dafina; Chung, Edward; Griffiths, Alan D.; Chambers, Scott D.; Forster, Grant; Wenger, Angelina; Pickers, Penelope; Rennick, Chris; O'Doherty, Simon; Pitt, Joseph; Stanley, Kieran; Young, Dickon; Fleming, Leigh S.; Adcock, Karina; Safi, Emmal; Arnold, Tim

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-151-2025

Articles | Volume 18, issue 1

https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-151-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-151-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 18, issue 1

Research article

|

13 Jan 2025

Research article |

| 13 Jan 2025

Direct high-precision radon quantification for interpreting high-frequency greenhouse gas measurements

Dafina Kikaj, Edward Chung, Alan D. Griffiths, Scott D. Chambers, Grant Forster, Angelina Wenger, Penelope Pickers, Chris Rennick, Simon O'Doherty, Joseph Pitt, Kieran Stanley, Dickon Young, Leigh S. Fleming, Karina Adcock, Emmal Safi, and Tim Arnold

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-151-2025-supplement

Data sets

Atmospheric trace gas observations from the UK Deriving Emissions linked to Climate Change (DECC) Network and associated data Simon O'Doherty et al. https://doi.org/10.5285/bd7164851bcc491b912f9d650fcf7981

Weybourne Atmospheric Observatory Grant Forster et al. https://data.ceda.ac.uk/badc/ncas-wao/data/uea-radon-1/20180321_longterm/v1.0

Weybourne Atmospheric Observatory Grant Forster https://data.ceda.ac.uk/badc/ncas-wao/data/ncas-ftir-1/20170801_longterm/v3.0

Model code and software

anstoradonlab/radcalsim: Radon detector calibration simulator Alan Griffiths https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14504261

anstoradonlab/radon-monitor: RDM 10.17.2 Alan Griffiths https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14504311

anstoradonlab/rdfix: v0.4.1 Alan Griffiths https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14503937

Short summary

We present a protocol to improve confidence in atmospheric radon measurements, enabling site comparisons and integration with greenhouse gas data. As a natural tracer, radon provides an independent check of transport model performance. This standardized method enhances radon’s use as a metric for model evaluation. Beyond UK observatories, it can support broader networks like ICOS and WMO/GAW, advancing global atmospheric research.