Continuous monitoring experiment of soil radon levels using a semiconductor-based measuring instrument

Soil radon measurement is crucial for environmental safety, public health, and earth science research. Despite significant advancements in the development of radon measurement instruments and methods, there is still a lack of instruments for continuous soil radon monitoring. Therefore, we have developed a continuous radon measurement instrument and designed a corresponding field installation method. This instrument uses a gold- silicon surface barrier semiconductor electrostatic method to measure radon exhalation concentration from the soil and achieves automatic sampling via natural air diffusion. It operates on solar power, is easy to install, and supports both wireless and wired communication. Multiple instruments have been continuously tested in the field for more than a year, showing consistent data among adjacent instruments and the ability to reveal the fluctuation patterns of soil radon. However, practical applications have encountered some challenges, such as data noise and the impact of condensate water on the detector surface.