Radon measurements for earthquake prediction in northern India

Earthquake prediction is based on the observation of precursory phenomena, and radon has emerged as a useful precursor in recent years. In India, where 55% of the land area is in active seismic zones, considerable destruction was caused by the earthquakes of Kutch (1819), Shillong (1897), Kangra (1905), Bihar-Nepal (1934), Assam (1956), Koyna (1967), Bihar-Nepal (1988), and Uttarkashi (1991). Radon ([sup 222]Rn) is produced by the decay of radium ([sup 226]Ra) in the uranium decay series and is present in trace amounts almost everywhere on the earth, being distributed in soil, groundwater, and lower levels of atmosphere. The purpose of this study is to find the value in radon monitoring for earthquake prediction.