Universe (Feb 2022)

Radon Mitigation Applications at the Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc (LSC)

  • Javier Pérez-Pérez,
  • Julio Cesar Amare,
  • Iulian Catalin Bandac,
  • Alberto Bayo,
  • Silvia Borjabad-Sánchez,
  • Jose Maria Calvo-Mozota,
  • Laura Cid-Barrio,
  • Rebecca Hernández-Antolín,
  • Beatriz Hernández-Molinero,
  • Pau Novella,
  • Krzysztof Pelczar,
  • Carlos Peña-Garay,
  • Beatriz Romeo,
  • Alfonso Ortiz de Solórzano,
  • Michel Sorel,
  • Jordi Torrent,
  • Alberto Usón,
  • Anna Wojna-Pelczar,
  • Grzegorz Zuzel

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/universe8020112
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 2
p. 112

Abstract

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The Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc (LSC) is the Spanish national hub for low radioactivity techniques and the associated scientific and technological applications. The concentration of the airborne radon is a major component of the radioactive budget in the neighborhood of the detectors. The LSC hosts a Radon Abatement System, which delivers a radon suppressed air with 1.1±0.2 mBq/m3 of 222Rn. The radon content in the air is continuously monitored with an Electrostatic Radon Monitor. Measurements with the double beta decay demonstrators NEXT-NEW and CROSS and the gamma HPGe detectors show the important reduction of the radioactive background due to the purified air in the vicinity of the detectors. We also discuss the use of this facility in the LSC current program which includes NEXT-100, low background biology experiments and radiopure copper electroformation equipment placed in the radon-free clean room.

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