Gamma-ray activity in the volcanic islands of the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea

Field γ-ray spectrometry was used for the quantitative assessment of U, Th and K of rocks of Stromboli, Salina, Filicuidi and Panarea (Aeolian arc of the Southern Tyrrhenian, Italy). The air absorbed dose rate was calculated from radioelement concentrations. For some rocks the γ-ray spectra were analysed with the three photo-peak methods and the response matrix method, which converts the pulse height distribution into the true incident γ-ray energy spectrum. The higher values of U (8.2–9.8 ppm) coincide with higher Th (20.6–27.8 ppm) concentrations associated with rocks of shoshonitic composition. The spatial variation in radioelement concentration reflects the geochemical differences among the rocks. The air absorbed dose rate varies from 25 to 215 nGy h−1. The highest values correspond to outcrops located in the eastern part of Stromboli, where the annual effective dose equivalent reaches a value of 264 μSv.