Topband: Ionization before Japan's seismic event

[Lee K7TJR]

  How fascinating this article crosses my vision on the 31st anniversary
 of the Mt St Helens Eruption. Also how fascinating to me there may be
 a connection to radioactive radon gas. Having worked in the desert for
 the atomic energy commission during the cold war in the 60's I was
 able to watch radiation monitors for research we were doing. Being in
 the desert it was common for the detectors to read very low in the cool
 morning and then gradually rise as the day warmed up. I was told that
 this was due to the Radons and Thorons boiling out of the desert
 ground as the day warmed up. Maybe, I dont know.
      Fast forward to May 18 1980 when Mt St Helens blew I became
 curious if any Radons were spewing out of the mountain as a result
 of the severe heating of the rock. Over the years I have asked many 
people including the volcanologists at the visitor centers and so far
 have only been given speculation that there was no radioactivity
 measured. Personally I figure that no one ever thought to check for
 radioactivity. Now I hear from this article that Radon could, and I say
 could, be a possible source of ionisation of the atmosphere as a result
 of seismic activity. The bottom line here is that I wish I had taken a
 look at local low-band propagation during the volcanic activity instead
 of cleaning my gutters of the volcanic ash and replacing the motor in
 my car from its ingestion of the ash. 
    Guess I missed another low band DX opportunity, darn.
   Lee  K7TJR