ИСТИНА

The background gamma radiation flux in the surface layer of the atmosphere in the range of 20-400 keV has been monitored for several years via scintillation detectors in the PGI Cosmic Ray laboratory. In this paper we present the results of gamma-radiation fluxes long-term measurements at different observation points, performed with the help of the same type detectors. The main observation points are Apatity of the Murmansk region (67.56 N, 33.40 E) and Barentsburg, arch. Svalbard (78.06 N, 14.21 E) for which there is a large database of measurements. Since 2016, one detector has been installed in Rostov-on-Don (42.25 N, 39.72 E). A number of similar effects are observed on all detectors. In particular, there are short-term increases in the intensity of gamma radiation during precipitation, which are up to 60%. Also for the Arctic (Barentsburg) and Subarctic (Apatity) regions, there are steady annual variations. For the mid-latitude observation point (Rostov-on-Don), such variation is absent. We suppose that the short-term increases in the intensity of gamma radiation during precipitation are associated with electric fields in the rain/snow low level clouds, and the annual variations of gamma radiation are due to accumulation and melting of the snow cover.