Radon levels measured for any duration less than one year are subject to seasonal variation. Such radon measurements must therefore be adjusted using an appropriate seasonal correction factor in order to estimate an annual average radon level. Radon mapping has shown that radon concentrations vary between regions within a country but there has been little work examining regional variation in the seasonality of radon levels.

This paper investigates this regional variation in indoor radon seasonality in Ireland. Regional seasonal correction factors are estimated through Fourier decomposition and we find that there is significant regional variation in the computed seasonal correction factors. We conclude that the use of one national set of seasonal correction factors may not be appropriate in all countries.

Keywords: Radon mapping; Seasonal patterns; Regional variation; Fourier decomposition analysis

Biography: Órlaith Burke completed her PhD in Statistics from University College Dublin in October 2010.

Her research focuses on seasonality in time series data, time-series cross-sectional models and sampling methodologies. She is particularly interested in the application of her research to environmental protection and has been highly involved in collaborations with the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland.

Órlaith joined the Department of Statistics in the University of Oxford as a Departmental Lecturer in September 2010.