Radon-222 from the island of hawaii: deep soils are more important than lava fields or volcanoes

Science. 1974 Feb 1;183(4123):413-5. doi: 10.1126/science.183.4123.413.

Abstract

The mean flux of radon-222 atoms from the island of Hawaii is 0.45 atom per square centimeter per second. Lava fields occupy 50 percent of the land area, but their radon flux is only 1 percent of that from deep volcanic soils. The island yields approximately 10 curies of radon-222 per hour to the air surrounding it. The radon-222 contribuition of volcanoes is negligible.