Context
Earthquakes are natural events that remain extremely difficult to predict. Improving the understanding of pre‑seismic processes is therefore a major scientific challenge, particularly in regions exposed to high seismic risk such as Turkey and Syria.
Among the various approaches investigated worldwide, radon monitoring has emerged as a promising method for studying the relationship between crustal stress, rock deformation, and gas migration. Radon (²²²Rn) is a naturally occurring radioactive gas generated by the decay of uranium present in rocks and soils. Its release and transport are highly sensitive to micro‑fracturing, changes in permeability, and fluid movements within the Earth’s crust.
Prior and ongoing studies show that soil‑gas radon emissions can vary before seismic rupture, producing measurable anomalies in soil gas, air, or groundwater as rocks undergo progressive deformation. However, because radon is colorless, odorless, and cannot be detected without dedicated instrumentation, high‑quality, stable, and continuous measurements are essential to reliably identify such variations.
This is precisely why Bertin Technologies developed AlphaGUARD, a professional radon monitor widely recognized as the reference instrument for environmental and geophysical applications. AlphaGUARD has been extensively deployed in long‑term field campaigns to support seismic studies and continuous monitoring in tectonically active regions.
Recent advances in data analysis, including artificial intelligence–based approaches, further enhance the value of continuous radon monitoring by improving the detection of subtle pre‑seismic patterns.
