310 
THE CAUSE OF THE VARIATION OF THE EMANATION 
CONTENT OF SPRING WATER. 
By R. R. Ramsey. 
Last year at the annual meeting of this Society I presented a paper on 
“Radioactivity of Spring Water” in which I called attention to the fact that 
there was a variation of the radioactivity from time to time. During nine 
months of the past year I have measured the emanation content of two 
springs once every week. In a short time I discovered that there was a con- 
nection between the radioactivity and the flow of the springs. The flow of 
one of the springs was measured every week during six months. 
The springs are about 1.3 miles apart. One isuses out of coarse graval the 
other issues from a crevice in the solid rock. Both springs are known as never 
failing springs, however the flow of both are affected by the rain fall. They 
both vary in the same manner but not to the same degree. The variation of 
the Ill. Cent. spring, the one measured, is much more then the Hottle spring. 
The method of measuring the flow was by means of a horizontal weir, the 
depth being measured and computed according to the usual formula. 
The radioctivity was measured by means of the 'Schmidt shaking method 
and an emanation electroscope. The electroscope was standardized by 
means of an emanation standard secured from the Bureau of Standards. 
The Schmidt shaking method can be carried out at the spring. The accuracy 
ot the method when the measurements are made at the spring in 15 to 30 
minutes is about 5 per cent. The observations for the nine months are shown 
in the table I. The date of observation, the temperature, the flow in gallons 
per day, and the emanation content of the water is given for each spring. 
It will be noted that the radioactivity of the Hottle spring is higher and 
more constant than the Ill. Cent. spring. In the same manner the flow of the 
Hottle spring is more constant than the Ill. Cent. spring but it is not always 
greater than the Ill. Cent. It will be noted that the fluctuations of the radio- 
activity are in the same general manner for both springs. 
This is better shown by means of curves Figure I]. The full lines are for 
the radioactivity the dotted line is for the flow. The curves have a general 
Indiana Academy of Science Proceedings," 191 4. 
