Radon Level in Dwellings and Uranium Content in Soil in the Abruzzo Region: A Preliminary Investigation by Geographically Weighted Regression

Radon is a noble gas coming from the natural decay of uranium. It can migrate from the underlying soil into buildings, where sometimes very high concentration can be found, particularly in the basement or at ground floor. It contributes up to about the 50% of the ionizing radiation dose received by the population, constituting a real health hazard. In this study, we use the geographically weighted regression (GWR) technique to detect spatial non-stationarity of the relationship between indoor radon concentration and the radioactivity content of soil in the Provincia of L’Aquila, in the Abruzzo region (Central Italy). Radon measurements have been taken in a sample of 481 dwellings. Local estimates are obtained and discussed. The significance of the spatial variability in the local parameter estimates is examined by performing a Monte Carlo test.