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Reimer 1980
Reimer, G.M. (1980). Use of soil-gas helium concentrations for earthquake prediction: Limitations imposed by diurnal variation. Journal of Geophysical Research 85: doi: 10.1029/JB085iB06p03107. issn: 0148-0227.

The diurnal variations in soil-gas helium concentration have been monitored at depths of 0.5--2.0 m in three localities in Colorado, Wyoming, and Californa. Barometric pressure, air temperature, wind speed, soil temperature and moisture, relative humidity, and precipitation were also measured. The helium variation below a 1-m sampling depth usually did not exceed the analytical sensityivity of 10 ppm He. The meteorologic parameters that have the greatest effect on helium variation are wind speed and precipitation; another factor is the atmospheric pumping created by air temperature changes and its associated effect on near-surface soil moisture content. The absolute helium variation rarely exceeds 1% of the back-ground helium concentration in air and can easily be compensated for because it follows a regular daily pattern. Similar diurnal changes in soil-gas helium concentration would not impose any severe limitations on the use of these data for earthquake prediction purposes.

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Journal
Journal of Geophysical Research
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American Geophysical Union
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