Patent ID: 7566881

Claim:
A method for predicting timing of an earthquake from atmospheric radon detection comprising: calculating external dose rate of an unknown radioactive plume wherein said plume comprises of at least one radionuclide on earth, the method further comprises the steps of; Sweeping atmosphere to receive a backscatter signal by a DIAL telescope; Identifying a gaseous or an aerosol plume; Identifying distance and velocity of said plume; Integrating gamma and/or x-ray photons of said plume in a predetermined time interval and in a predetermined direction; Searching for at least one photopeaks generated by scintillation detectors; Identifying type of said radionuclide; Determining half-life of said radionuclide using nuclear library; Searching absorption lines of said identified radionuclide through atomic library; Tuning laser line of said DIAL with said absorption lines of said identified radionuclide; Transmitting sequentially said absorptive laser pulse and said nonabsorptive laser pulse with 1 μsec time delay to said plume; Analyzing said backscattered signal, thereby determining absolute concentration of said radionuclide within said plume; and thereby calculating external dose rate of said plume on earth and predicting timing of an earthquake.