Presence of a radioactive gas in archaeological excavations,determination and mitigation |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Apartado Postal 18-1027, CP 11801 Mexico D. F., Mexico;2. Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Zona Arqueológica de Teotihuacán, Teotihuacán, Estado de Mexico, Mexico;1. Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico;2. Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Unidad Academica de Estudios Nucleares, MEXICO;3. Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, MEXICO;1. Al-majmaah University, Al-Zulfi, Saudi Arabia;2. Al-Hussien Bin Talal University, Ma''an, Jordan;1. Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, University Paris Diderot, CNRS UMR 7154, Paris, France;2. Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux, et de Cosmochimie (IMPMC), Sorbonne University, MNHN & UPMC, CNRS UMR 7590, Paris, France;3. IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris, CNRS UMR 8028, Paris, France;4. Aix-Marseille University, CNRS UMR 7330, IRD, Coll. France, CEREGE, Aix-en-Provence, France;1. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, 40002 Khon Kaen, Thailand;2. Gems Irradiation Center, Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology, 26120 Nakhon Nayok, Thailand |
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| Abstract: | During recent archaeological discovery and excavation of a tunnel build approximately 2000 years ago by the Teotihuacans under the feathered serpent temple, in Mexico, abnormal radon concentrations up to 700 Bq m−3 were measured at several excavation stages. The tunnel is at 15 m below the earth surface with a vertical rectangular entrance of 4×4 m2, a semi cylindrical shape of 3 m in diameter, with a probable length of 100 m.This study supports the assumption that at the opening of the tunnel radon concentration was around 5500 Bq m−3; however, although natural convection in the tunnel atmosphere naturally pups radon out, it build up to a maximum concentration of 2000 Bq m−3. This paper presents the identification of the radon problem in this archaeological site, dose determination, and the mitigation actions that reduced the radon concentration down to 40 Bq m−3 that ensure a negligible radon risk for archaeologist. |
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| Keywords: | Radon dose Excavations Teotihuacan Archaeology |
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