ИСТИНА

The main aim of our researches is the evaluation of the components of "natural terrestrial gamma radiation" and radon in natural unchanged conditions in the territory of disused uranium mines in the Mount Beshtau area (North Caucasus). The measurements of radon exhalation rate, radon activity concentration in the air, gamma-doze rate and radium content in soils were carried out. The very high radon levels were discovered in local zone on the western slope of the mountain. The radon exhalation rate in the anomalous zone achieves 15,000 mBq/m2s, and the radon concentration in the atmospheric air exceeds 4000 Bq/m3. These levels sufficiently exceed the local background. The extremely high values of radon exhalation rate from the soil surface in the anomalous zone cannot be explained by local sources of radon. Anomalous levels of radon exhalation probably result from radon transfer out of fracturing zones with convective air flows. The radon transfer with groundwater is also possible. To obtain more information on the nature of the revealed anomaly, further research is planned.