THE TRANSPORT OF ATOMIC DEBRIS FROM OPERATION UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE - U.S. Atomic Energy Commission

8/9/2019 THE TRANSPORT OF ATOMIC DEBRIS FROM OPERATION UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE - U.S. Atomic Energy Commission

1/201

U N C L A S S I F I E D

J sis I n i l! I l l I J : s E S S t. i u i o * * r t Si n i ss la a i i ; =

O s S s s ^ i s a s s g s| | | | s I i s I 31

i - . i ~ \

U N I T E D S TA TE S A T O M I C E N E R G Y C O M M I S S I O N

NYO-U602(DEL.) j

THE TRANSPORT OF ATOMIC DEBRIS FROM OPERATIONUPSHOT-KNOTHOLB

ByRobearb J* L i s tPhotostat Price $ _ 2 Q - - i C LMicro f i lm Price t q . . H Q


2/201


3/201

DISCLAIMER

This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by anagency of the United States Government. Neither the United StatesGovernment nor any agency Thereof, nor any of their employees,makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legalliability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, orusefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or processdisclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privatelyowned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product,

process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or


4/201

DISCLAIMER

Portions of this document may be illegible inelectronic image products. Images are produced

from the best available original document


5/201

P R E F A C E

IMPORTANT NOTEStibseqaant to the Upshot-Knothole test series, the automaticcowiting equipment of the New York Operations Office was recalibrated using a newly agreed upon radioactive standard. Theresults indicated that all previous values of radioactivityobtained from the automatic counting equipment were too low by afactor of about three. This correction, which has b:>en applied^to

the present data, is also apnxicable oo data orevioujly reports-for the Tumbler-Snapper (2) and Ivy (12) tests. Since not allsauries were counted on the automatic counters, it is notpossible to correct the results in the earlier reports siii?>lyby nultiplying all values by three. About 1 to 2% of thesauples processed (samples xd.th high activity, in general) weremeasured on non-automatic eqxiipment.In the present report, all values given in the body of the

report (including references to previous tests) have beencorrected to the new standard.

ACK]fCIWLEDGEME37rS


6/201

CONTENTSPage

IBEFACE - . . illACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . iiiILLUSTRATIONS . . , viTABLES , viiiABSTRACT xCHAPTER 1 FALLOUT MONITCEINQ 1

1.1 The l^shot-Knothole Monitoring Network . . 11 ,Z Extrapolation to Sampling Day 11.3 Pre-Test Background of Radioactivity . . . k

CHAPTER 2 THE UPSHOT KNOTHOLE TESTS 62.1 List of Bursts 62.2 Highest Observed Activity 72.3 Discussion of Individual Bursts. . . . . . l6

CHAPTER 3 TOTAL FALLOUT FRQ M THE UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE TESTS. . 163.1 iitroduction U63.2 Fallout in the Vicinity of the Test Site . U6


7/201

CHAPTER 7 CONCLUSIONS AND R ECOMMENDATIONS. . . . . . , ," 7.1 Interim Network . . . . . . , . . , , , ,r . 7.2 T o t a l F a l l o u t . . . . . . . i . . . . . .\7.J Fallout from Air and Tower Bursts-. . . .. 7.U Location of Stations. . . . . . . . . . . ;:.; 7r5 Prediction of Fallout Areas , . . . . . .7.6 Datense Local Fallout . . . . . . . . . ,7-7 Optinrara Season for Nevada Tests . . . . .

APPENDIX A- MAPS OF DAILY FALLOUT IN THE UNITED STATES ANDAPraNDIX B HiEDICTED AND OBSERVED AREAS CF.FALLOUT. . . .REFERENCES , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

^ 8 *

'. 85. 85. 86. 86.. 86. 86. 87. 88.179.191


8/201

HLPSIRATIONS.. Pge

1-1 Location of Bai ly Fallout Monitoring Stations.......... 21.2 Location of Weekly Fallout Mbnitoring Stations......... 32.1 Hi^est Observed Gummed Film Activity on Days Without

Precipitation as a Function of Distance from theTest S i t e ^ . . . . , Ik

2.2 Upper A .r Observation at Mercury, Nevada, 1200 G.C.T.,March 17, 1 9 5 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

2.3 Meteorolpgical Trajectories from the First Burst 192.U Upper Air Observation at Mercury, Nevada, 1100 G.C.T.,

March 2li, 1953 202 . 5 M e t e o r o l o g i c a l T r a j e c t o r i e s frp m t h e S econ d B u r s t . . . . . . 2 12.6 I^ pe r A ir O bse rvati on at Mercurj% Nevada, 1200 G.C .T. ,Miarch 3 1 , 1 9 5 3 . . . 2 2. 2 .7 Mate .oro log ica l T ra je c t or ie s from th e Third Bu rs t 2U2.8 l^o er A ir Ob servat ion a t Mercury, Nevada, 1 6 0 0 G.C.T. ,

A p r i l 6 , 1 9 5 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5


9/201

-...._ . ' - , . . ; / ' ' ' . - , ; . ' . - . ; > .. ' ^ ^ P a g e2.21 Meteorological Trajectories from the Tenth Burst....... U22.22 Upper Air Observation at Mercury, Nevada, 120 0 G.C.T.,

Jfune U, 1953.......................:......... U32.23 Meteorological Trajectories from the Eleventh Burst.... U53.1 Regions Used in Computing Total Fallout in the UnitedStates (Figures indicate percent of total area ofthe Qoited States included in each region),........,. U83.2 Total Fallout in the Northern Hemisphere, March 17 toJime lU, 1953, (d/m/ft^, decayed to July 1, 1953)..-. 52: U . l . Difference in Activity Collected on Quirmed Films

Exposed Simultaneously in the Same City. Upshot-U.2 Difference' in Activity Collected on Simultaneously-Exposed Gummed Films as a Function of Distance; Between Stations, %ishot-Knothole Tests.............. 59U.3 Difference in Average Activity Collected oh Simultaneously-Exposed Gumrsd Papers as a Function ofDistance Between Stations, Tumbler-Snapper Tests..... 60k ,h Fallout in Northeastern IWLted States, April 26, 195 3,and Results of Aerial Survey on i'lay 1, 1953 6UU.5 Precipitation in Northeastern United States, 2200


10/201

TABLES ":.; Page'

. 2.1 l^shotI^othole Bursts.................................. 62.2 Maximum Gummed Film Activity at Each Station for Day

with Precipitation and without Precipitation.. 82.3 Maximum H i ^ Volume Air Filter Activity at Each Station. 153.1 Total Fallout.(d/k/ft^) as of June lU,' 1953, in theContinental. Ifeited States, by Regions and Bursts,Extrapolated to July 1, 1953. (Excluding the TestSite A r e a ) . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . U73.2 Total Fallout in the Continental United States U93.3 Percent of Tota l Observed Ac tivi ty Collected on Each. Day Following Each Burst, Continental United States..((Excluding Test Si te Area) . . . . . 513.U Total Fa llou t from the Upshot-Knothole Se ries as of .

JunelU; 1 9 5 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ; . . . 5 3U.l Concentration of Debris as a Function of distance Fro.'nthe Center of a Cloud After 36 Hours, Assuming a:Coefficient of Horizontal Eddy Diffusion of lO cra sec"-'- 62


11/201

A B S I R A C Tl a c onn e c t ion w i th t he % sho t -K no tho le a tomic t e s t s e r i e s i nNevada in the sp rin g of 1 953 , the New York Op era t ion s Officee s t a b l i s h e d a gummed fi lm m .onitoring network c o n si st in g of 9^s t a t i o n s i n t he t&iite d S t a t e s a nd 26 s t a t i o n s ou t s id e t he c o n t i ne n t a l I f ai te d S t a t e s . E l e ve n a tomic de v ic e s w e re de tona t e d ,r a n g i n g i n y i e ld f rc r . 0 . 2 t o 60 KT. H ighe r a c t i v i v va s founda t m o s t c o n t i n e n t a l s t a t i o n s f o l lo w i n g t h e s e b u r s t s t h a n hadb e e n e x p e r ie n c e d from a n y p r e v i o u s t e s t s e r i e s . C o n s i d e r a b lymore fa l l o u t fo l l ow e d tow er b ur s t s a s compared w i th a i r b u rs t s ,b o t h n e a r t h e t e s t s i t e a n d e l s e w h e r e i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s .The hig he s t s in gl e gummed f i lm a c t i v i t y occurred on A pr i l 26 ,1 9 5 3 . a t Albany, N . Y. , 16 ,00 0,000 d/m./f t^ /d ay , as so c ia ted wi tha s e v e r e t h u n d e r s t o n n .

An i n t e g r a t i o n of t h e t o t a l f a l l o u t from t h i s s e r i e s a s o fJune l U , 19 5 3 , i n d i c a t e d r o u g h l y t h a t 9 . 3 ^ o f th e i i o t a l f i s s i o np r o d u c t b e t a a c t i v i t y n r od u ce d f e l l i n t h e t e s t s i t e a r e a , 2 . 8 ^was acc ou nte d fo r by t ^ gummed fi lm network in th e IfaitedS ta t e s , a nd 13 . 1 ^ i n t he re s t o f t he w or ld , fo r a t o t a l o f 25 .2 'S .I t i s conc luded th a t the gummed f i lm ne twork f a i l s to d e t ec ta . s u b s t a n t i a l p o r t i o n o f t h e d e p o s it e d d e b r i s .In fo rm a t ion re l a t i n g to t he optimum spa c ing o f s t a t i o n s i n


12/201

C H S L P T E R 1

\FALLOUT MONITORING -

. " ' : ' : ' ' ' . ' ' ' " . ' - : .

1 . 1 TfE tJPSiCT-KNOTHOL S MQCTTQRING NETV70RK In c o n n e c t i o n w i t h the U p s h o t - K n o t h o l e s e r i e s of a t o m i c t e s t sa t ' t h e N e va da P r o v i n g G r ou n d in the S p r i n g of 1 9 5 3 , theNew YorkO p e r a t i o n s O f f i c e of theAto mic En erg y Co mmiss io n ag a in sp o n so red3 w o r l d - w i d e n e t w o r k of f a l l o u t m j ^ n i t o r i n g s t a t i o n s to c o l l e c ts a m p l e s of r a d i o a c t i v e d e b i r l s - n e a r the g r o un d .' T he p r i n c i p a l ,c o l l e c t i n g d e v i c e w as a o n e - f o o t s q u a r e s h e e t of g u m m e d c e l l u l o s ea c c e t a - t e f il m , m o un te d h o r i z o n t a l l y on a t h r e e - f o o t s t a n d . Ina d d i t i o n , lU s t a t i o n s in the w e s t e r n U n i t ed S t a t e s a l s o made d a i l yo b s e r v a t i o n s of the c o n c e n t r a t i o n of a t o m i c d e b r i s in the ai r bym e a n s of hdgh vo lume ai r f i l t e r i n g d e v i c e s . B o th t e c h n i q u e s h av eb e e n d e s c r i b e d in an e a r l i e r r e p o r t ( l ) .' D a i l y gumm,ed f i l m c o l l e c t i o n s ( tw o s i m . u l t a n e o u s l y e x p o s e d f i l m sin m o s t c a s e s ) w e r e m a d e at 95W e a t h e r B u r e a u s t a t i o n s in the Un i t ed S t a t e s , at n i n e s t a t i o n s of tYie C a n a d i a n M e t e o r o l o g i c a l S e r v i c e . at t h e .C a n a d ia n A t om i c E n er gy I n s t a l l a t i o n , and at t h r e e s t a t i o n s of theA i r . W e a t h e r S e r v i c e in Newfo u n d lan d , Bermu d a , and the C a n a l Z o n e .

of the are


13/201

Fort SinvMtn

T"

* flu , / f ' ^ ,

/

^ -

- 1 L'^-r.r"- I^'J^\^^::,^k

/ *"^9>*9rn^ttI' /' I Amoi Ij

a. .> . . . _.!! . . I. . ^. lut * Fait 5)Wlh

TYPE OF OBSERVATION GUMMED FILM

GUMMED FILM AMD*m FILTER

/v . . .1 ik r . " ' t -^ ^ ^ \ \iK Corpu. cn. tr > i l i 1

^' XuiutJ* AFft CZ- . W ^

I ' ICUHb. I t UU CAi lUN HI OAILY l-ALLOUT MONI IOHING STATIONS


14/201

4060

100 120 140 160 180 160 140 1?0 100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100F I G UR E 1 2 L O C A l I O N O F W t t K L Y I - A L L U U T M O N I T O H I N C S T A T I 0 M 8


15/201

The difficulties inherent in this procedure have been discussed in a previous report (2). To extrapolate the activity tosanpling date it is necessary to know which btirst is responsiblefor the activity ii!easu.red, and this cannot always be done withcertainty. In attenpting to assign observed activity to a givenburst, consideration must be given to the computed meteorologicaltrajectories, to the lo w level flow patterns, to the scavengingby precipitation and to the tine of arrival of increased activityat the stations. Since the sanples are not counted unt?l severaldays, and in sona oases ;;eeks, folloiiving excosure, the =iAoranola-tion factors for relatively recent debris can be quite large. Ifirlnor contarfjiation of the san^ple occxurs in the laboratoi*y, or ifdebris from an older burst is inixed with the more recent debris,considerable bias towards renorting too high values of activityon sairoling date can occur. Such bias also results fror. thetendency to ascribe debris to the most recent burst when thereis doubt as to its origin.

In an attemot to eliminate some of the bias resxilting from.uncertain extrapolations and to reduce the work-load involved inassigning activity to a sr^ecific burst, only those observations'./hich exhibited activity above an arbitrary threshhold valueon tre co'-mtx^.g day v a r a considered significant. The activity fort i esa 33~ple3 vas axtrS'-olatad to sampling day on the basis of3 -ar"icul3r b'-irat.


16/201

l a ve be e n de tona t e d in t he p a s t n ine y e a r s , t h e re i s some re s i du a lra d i oa c t i ve de br i s p re se n t . In e xamin ing the gummed film , r e su l t sfo r c o l l e c t i o n s made from. March 2 thro ugh Ilarch 16, 195 3, p ri o rt o t h e f i r s t b u r s t of th e s e r i e s and J - l / 2 t o h months a f te r theI v y . t e s t s e r i e s , t h e l a r g e m a j o r i t y show ed no a c t i v i t y ab ov e t h eno nn al co un ter back gro un d. Hoxifever, a t l e a s t 100 of th e m.ore than 2200 f i l i c s exposed showed a c t i v i t y g re a t e r tha n 60 d /m./f t /da yon cou ntin g day and 19 pa pe rs had .more tha n ^0 d/ m /ft^ /da y. Ofth e more than 100 hig her - th an -av er^ ge f i lm s , about 'âl f " s rê xposed on da ys w i th p re c i p i t a t i o n . In c omoa r ison , t he s a mnle sexposed p r i o r to th e TumJbler-Snapoer s e r ie s (about 10 monthsa f te r the Greenhouse t e s t s e r ie s ) in the Spr ing of 1952 showedonly a few papers wi th over U 5 d/m/ftV^ây and t.h6 hi-^hest was1 3 5 d/ in/ ftV da y. Gumm.ed fi lm ob se rv at io n s in t.he United S ta te sand Canada made just prior to Operat ion Iv;^ ' (5 to 5-1/2 ront ' -safter the Tiarbler-Snanper series) in Novembar, 1952, s '^.owedsi m il ar r e s i i l t s , of 272 ca n er s excosed, only 3 had m.ore than60 d/m/ft2/day and t .he highest x^ras 78 d/ir . / f t^/day.

The high volum.e a i r f i l t e r s onera ted p r io r to the f i r s t b-ors tshoxved th a t o f th e lo 9 samnles c o ll ec te d betiraen ilar ci 2 3-.d -,Ilarch 16, 195 3, ov er ICO h-""-' a ct iv x ty .gr ea ter tha n 0 .l 5 z^-^.'"'-^ 3".::27 had a c t i v i t y g r e a t e r t ha 0 . 3 d/r./l^. .Althou-gh no sx-ilarp r e - t e s t a i r f i l t e r a a t a i s a v a i l a o l e fo r t i e P um b le r-" l a' -c e rs e r i e s , of fê e lev en samnles co l l ec te d on. t '- 'e day-of t r .e z ' l rs tbu rs t of tna t s e r ie s n ine naa le as than 3 .15 d /n / i l and z-e c t n e rtwo were a ff ec t ed oy the b u rs t .


17/201

ClfiPTEtl 2

THE UPSHDT-KNOTHDLE TESTS

2 . 1 L IST OF BURSTST he U p s h o t- K n o th o l e t e s t s e r i e s c o n s i s t e d o f e l e v e n a t o m i cd e t o n a t i o n s i n t h e Y u c ca F l a t an d F r e nc h m a n s F l a t a r e a s o f t h eN e v a d a P r o v i n g G r o u n d . T a b l e 2 . 1 s u m r . a r i z e s t h e b u r s t d a t a .

TABLE 2 . 1U p s h o t - S n o t u o l e B i u - s t s

B u rs t Code 3a t e , l i. '- .e r^- re - ia i ^h t cf1 'ar.a 1 9 5 3 ( ^ ^ ^ ) o - e t c n a t i o nB u r s t A o c v e C-rcL-.d

^3

ArjTie Mar.Ii'ancy I'iar.-^.utT riar.17 132G2h 13103 1 1 3 3 3

^ _5 ^_ ^ n '-^ ^ . r i "

- V

; : .

e i g h t o fTO P ofC l c u d ,I 3 L( f e e t )4 1 0 0 0UlCOOlJi300

Y i e l d(KT)

1 6 . 32 U.50 . 2 1


18/201

2.2 HEGIESt OBSERV ED A C T I V m .Table 2.2 shows the highest activity (extrapolated to sampling

day) reported on any one film at each of the daily gunmed filmstations for both days with precipitation and dry days. Thestations are arranged in accordance with distance from, the testsite. The san^ling day, the burst responsible for the activity,and the amount of precipitation (in accordance with the code inAppendix A) are also given.Of greatest interest in Table 2.2 is the fact that the highest

activity found on any of the papers exposed during this series of .itests was at a station located at a distance of 20 0 0 miles from thetest site. T.he fortuitous coincidence of a severe thunderstorm-and a fast-moving trajectory of the top of the cloud resulted in avalue of 16,0 0 0 ,00 0 d/m/ft^/day at Albany, N. Y., on April 26. (This, case will be discussed in detail in Chapter ii.) At the otherextreme, San Diego, Calif., less than 30 0 miles from, the test site, .was the only station in the United States and Canada to experienceno significant fallout during the entire test series. . . On days-without precipitation, the highest activity measiired onany one film.was 15.00 0 ,0 0 0 d/m/ftV day on a sample from. Salt LakeCity, Utah, on Ilarch 2U. Figure 2.1 shows the highest activity foundwithout precipitation in each 20 0 nautical miles annulus around thetest site, plotted as a function of the distance of the outer edge ofthe annulus from, the test site. The dashed line in Figure 2.1 givessome indication of the r r^x lnmi dry fallout which ::)ay be expected at


19/201

TABLE 2 . 2

F or D ^ f S S h ^ ? F ilm A c t i v i t y a t Each S t a t i o nF o r Da y W ith P r e c i p i t a t i o n a n d W it ho u t P r e c i p i t a t i o nN o P r e c i p i t a t i o n P r e c j p i t a t i o r

S t a t i o n a (0A i S t a t l o n s l e s s t ha n 20 0 n a u t . mile s from the te s t s i t e

Las Veg as , Nev .E l y . N e v .M i l f o r d , U ta hF r e s n o , CaUf.April 18March 2hApril 25April 22

ax S ta tio n ? 2OG-I1OO na u t. m il es from t e s t s i t e

6 9I40,0002 2,100,0002 930,0002,100

Reno, Nev .Elko, N e v .Winnemucca, Ne;;.F l a g s t a f f , A r i a .P h o e n i x , A r i z .Yuma, A r i z .Los Angeles , Calif.San Diego, Calif.Sacramento, Calif.San F r an c i sco , Calif.Sal t Lake Ci ty , Utah

251

Apr i l 28March 2kApr i l 20A p r i lA p r i lApr i l 12Apr i l 22MayApriMay

212011March 2k

7 15,0002 69,000o 2,5007 3,600,0003 330,0005 150,0006 90011406 l4,5oo8 11,0002 15,000,000

aApril 21May ' 23May 19April 19

_April 19May 28May 28April 27April 27April 21April 25April 20May 18April 20May 19

tm

6996

010107766669

25I43

2566222U326

433,0001*5,000780,0002,600

814,0001 9,0 0 0 . ^ / /6 3 , 0 0 0 '1 1 0 , 0 0 02 , 6 0 02 , 3 0 01 1 , 0 0 0n o1,30012,00066,000


20/201

TABLE 2.2 (C on t' d)No PrecJDi ta t ion

II

S t a t i o nTucson, Ariz,Grand Ju nc tion , C ol.B o i s e , IdahoPocate l l e , Idaho

So

Ap r i l 2 3Ap ri l 26 7Hay 6 7May 26 1028.000

2,900,0003,00066,000

C:Station3 ti00-600 naut . miles from the te s t s i t eEu rek a , Calif.Medford, OregonRock S p r i n g s , \iyo.Albu quer que, N, M.Por t land , OregonButte, MontanaDenver, Col .Pueblo , Col .Raton , U. M.Colorado Spr ings , Col.Cheyenne, Wyo.Ro sw ell. N. M.Casper, Wyo,Helena, Montana

March 26i lay 10March 2iiI^y 19Acr i l 1May 9^lay 21I^y 19May 19Apri l 27Apri l 26Aori l 2oU^rch ?Uilay 27

298999777?10

698160,0007,800,0003090,000160,000550,0002,000,000190,000130,00013,000,0002,100,0003^600

D:Sta t ions 600-800 na ut . m i les from the te s t s i t eI Billings, Montana( S pokane, Wash. tAayilay 3128 1010 26,000J, 300

y

P r e c i p i t a t i o n

i l l f-May 27 1 0 2 3 . 0 0 0 ) ' ^ ' ^ijay 19 9 2. 1 1 , 0 0 0 0 0 0 ^ ^May 26 10 h 230 000May 27 10 3 16 ,00 0 ,May 2li 9 5 1,3 00Ap ri l 25 6 3 1,300June 5 11 5 230,000^lay 27 10 3 , 1^5,000/^-^A pr il l i 2 I4 l i5,0 00"flarch 25 2 2 ' 16,0 00 ^ e 5 1 1 6 1 8 0 ,0 0 0 une 5 11 3 180,0 00*Ap r i l 6 k 3 180,000June 5 11 3 8ii,000June 5 11 5 160,0 00A pr i l 28 7 3 780,000A nri l 28 7 I4 120,000

ilay 31 10 3 7,200 i, >


21/201

TABLE 2.2 (Contd)

No Precipitation Precipitation

StationSeottsbluff, Nebr,Aqarlllo, TexasQoodland, Kans.Rapid City, S. D.Kalispell, MontanaSeattle. Wash.

a271920

AprilHayNayMarch 25April 1May 25

7992

-pu36,0001,600,000700,000680,000ua1,200

B:Stations 800-1000 naut. miles from the test siteWilliston, N. D.Abilene, TexasDel R io. TexasConcordia , Kans .Wichi ta , Kans .Hiron, S. D.Ft. Worth i t D a l l a s , T e x a sRegina , Sask .Port Hardy, B. C.

l>larch 25Apr i l 26May 22Apr i l 27May 20March 25March 18June 6Apr i l 8

2797921113

1,000,000360,00039,000190,000560,00063,0001,000,000U,2005U0F:Stations 1 0 0 0 - 1 2 0 0 n a u t . miles from the te s t s i t e

Edmonton, A l b e r t aFargo, N. D.Kansas Ci ty , K a n s .Ft. Siftith, Ark.C o r p u s C h r i s t i , T e x a s

(May 27March 26March 26May 20Apri l 19

a2296

/ 1 5 060,000230,000120,00078,000

aMayA p r i lApri l 28Apri l 28MayMay

22h2626

ilay 20Apri l 29May 20March 17Apri l 27

p(0I93771010

May 8- 8April 28 7April 22 6V May 20 /9April 6 hApril 28 7April 28 7May 9 8March 29 2

10791 .7

5655

652336265

25263

U 0 , 0 0 03 6 , 0 0 05 0 , 0 0 01 0 5 , 0 0 0U20,000U8,000

1,200,00033,0005,7001,100,00072,000105.0002U,0006 0 , 0 0 0l.llOO

1 9 , 0 0 06 3 , 0 0 05Uo,ooo30.0002,200

^


22/201

'AABLE 2. 2 (c pn t d)No Pr^cipitAtHAn

S t a t i o n

T e x a r k a n a, A r k ,O e s M o i n e s , l o wsM i n n e a p o l i s . M i n n .W i n n i p e g , M a n .P r i n c e G e o r g e , B ., C.P o r t A r t h u r , T e x a s

a ,March 18March 26May 23Ha y 8A p r i l

p10

1298Ap r i l 19 6

g : O.St , t t 1 2 0 0 - 1 ) ^ , t .^ t t ia s f r o . t h e t e a t a l t o

210,00028,0006,9002,l4001601,500,000

CM.

' H i '

St . Lou i s , Mo.Memphis, Tenn.Jackson , Miss .Ch icago , 111 .Milwaukee, Wis .Green Bay, Wis.Marquet t e , Mich .New Orle ans , L a,

March 26March 18Apr i l 28Way 26May 26March 27May 22Apr i l 19

2171010296H t S U U o n s lUOO-1600 n a u t , miles f rom the t es t s i t e

120,000630,000210,00019 ,000,145,000.5,tjOol4,8oa630,000

' ^ ^

Nashv i l l e , Tenn .L o u i s v i l l e , K y .Grand Rapids , Mich.Mobile, Ala.Montgomery, Ala.

March I9May - 2 1May 28March 26May 21

191069

3UO,000130,0003,300300,00051,000' ^


a :A p r i l 2 8May 20May 20Maroh 26May ,20Apr i l 28

A p r i l . 2 8Apri l 28Apri l 29May 20May 20May 20May 20Apr i l 29

Apr i l 29Apri l 27May 20March 20March 26

p799287

77799997

77912

t7562k23285 .5 ,66h

756hk

2h ,QQ01,500,0001*80,000290,0003,000514,000I130 ,00021*0,000

1*5,00011*0,00021*0,000360,00091*0,0001*5,000

1*2,00066,000100,0008,70021.000


23/201

TABLE 2.2 (Cont'd)

No Precipitation

to

S U U o nAtlanU, Qa,Xnoxvilla, Tonn,Detroit. Mich.Alpena, Mlchi,CfturchiU, Man.Fort Sijipson, N.W.T.

Pittsburgh, Penn.Dunkirk, N. Y.Buffalo. N. I.North Bay, Ont.Moosoonee, Ont.Rochester, N. I.Dansville, N. Y.lynchburgh, Va.Jacksonville, Fla.Charleston, S. C.Deep River. Ont.

Watertown, N. Y.Syracuse, N. Y.Binghamton, N. Y.

aMay 22May 22May 20May 9April 1June 6

p(0

99982Lies from the testApril 29March 21June 5May 10April 3June 7May 11April 28April 8May 22June 7

7110821187U911 ^les from the testMarch 18May 23'May 3

197

i i

Ac

81,000120,000150,0003.6002,800h$

site16,000' 2,200i*,200 //'A7202,5007,^02,00029,000390,00081,000

. 1*8,000site

12,0002,500390

Precipitation

March 18 1March 18 1May 21 9May 20 9April 21* 6May 9 7

May 21 9May 29 10May 21 9May 21 9March 27 2June 6 11May 21 9March 18 1May 20 9May 20 9March 18 1

June 6 11May 21 9May 22 9

i: :i6 13 ,0002 1 ,900 ,0001* 120^0002 360,0002 6,9005 3,000 '

6 190,0006 25,000


24/201

- TABLE 2.2 (Cont 'd)

NoPrecipita tion

Stations

Was hington, D, G.Baltimore, Md,Philadelphia. Penn.New York. N. Y.Albany. N. Y.Montreal, P. Q.New Haven, Conn.Miami. Fla.KfStations 2000-2200 naut.

Providence.s R. I ,Boston, Mass."^Caribou, Me.East Port, Me.

Seven Islands, P. Q.Moncton. N. B.BermudaStephenville, Nfld.

5aA p r i l 29May 26May 23M ay 23May aA p r i l 26Mav 11J larch 2o

.es from theMay 11A p r i l 9i'lay 1ifey 3

pC O

710999782

po21*,0002 8 , 0 0 00,0006,0002 1 , 0 0 03 3 0 , 0 0 01 6 , 0 0 01 5 0 , 0 0 0

t e s t s i t e81*77

Les from the t e s tA p r i l 29May 2May 21Kiay 9

7797

145,000145,0009,000l4,200

s i t e3,9002,7008,14001 , 000

--v .

.

a March 18M a r c h 18M a r c h 18March 18A p r i l 26M ay 22A p r i l 7May 20A p r i l 7A p r i l 7A p r i l 27A p r i l 27

A p r i l 27A p r i l 27May 11A p r i l 20


+

. 119

91*77

7786

16 1 3 0 . 0 0 00 9 6 , 0 0 06 5 6 0 . 0 0 06 9 0 0 , 0 0 07 1 6 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 05 3 6 , 0 0 07 9 3 0 , 0 0 07 148,0007 1 910 , nrx)6 5,100,0006 2 5 0 , 0 0 03 91*, 000

6355

3 5 0 , 0 0 07 8 0 , 0 0 0^ 5 7 0 , 0 0 05 3 0 , 0 0 0


25/201

4i

i ,ooa^OM

?,Me,Moa.ooo,OM,Me^ooos.ooo ooo

t.eoo.ooo

i,000,000

roo.oootoo.ooo400.000uo.ooo

100,000

-

\ >

. . .

" 'X

VV

\

(i>

.V \

1

'

i .\> ":H\ \

-

'


26/201

Kb sijnilar plot for precipitation cases is presented for thel^shot-l&iothole series, since it is evident from the Albany casethat combinations of circumstances nay yield even higher concentrations than have been experienced to date (see Chapter li). Thisis especially true near the test site, ^ere a strong bias towardslow activity with precipitation exists, since no firings takeplace when precipitation is expected in the area.

The highest activity collected bv the high volume air filtersat each of the fourteen stations in the western United Stateswhere such equioment was operated is given in Table 2.3. The dataare not separated by precipitation, since the activity collectedby-the air filter has not proven to be "sensitive to the occurrenceof precipitation. '

TABLE 2.3Maximum High Volume Ai r F i l t e r Activity a t 2ach Stat ion

S t a t i o nR e n o , Nev.E l k o , Nev.

D a t eA p r i l 19 M a r c h 2ij

B u r s t62

P r e c i p .Code21

A c t i v i t y( d / m / M 3 )6 2 11 , 9 8 0


27/201

From Tables 2.2 and 2.3, it is evident that the burstsresponsible for the highest activity at the majority of thestations were the seventh, ninth, and second, in that order.4 11 three were high-yield tower bursts.

2.3 DISCISSION OF INDIVIDUAL BURSTS

23ata concerning dace, time, cype of burst;, yield, maximumaltitude, etc., of the bursts of the l^shot-Knothole seiries aregiven in Table 2.1. The results of fallout monitoring fromstations making daily observations are shown in Appendix A andcon?)arisons of the areas of fallout predicted from meteorologicalconsiderations with the observed fallout patterns are shown inAppendix B. All references to date of san^ling in the discussionto follow are to the date the sample was begun. All sanpling wasfor a 2U-hour period beginning at 1230 G.C.T. (0730 E.S.T.).For each burst, a figure has been prepared showing the vertical structure of the atmosphere as given by the rawinsondeobservation made at WPG at about burst time. These figures showthe tenperature (and dewpoint, when available) as a function ofheight above sea level. The winds at each 5,00 0-foot level areshown in standard meteorological symbols. The shaft of the windarrow indicates the direction from which the wind was blowing and


28/201

S9,000FEET

90.000

49.000

40,000

39,000

30/)00si

29,000M*^

CIRCLES MOICATE POSITIONS AT 6-HOURLY INTERVALSDATE WDICATES 00 0 0 GCT POSITION 7 - / -( I I J U K E 2 3 M E T b O n O L O G l C A L T H A J E C T O m E i i F RO M T H E F l R a T B U jt S T


31/201

Pu r

s o , 0 0 0

4 S , 0 0 0

4 0 , 0 0 0

3 5 , 0 0 0

3 0 , 0 0 0

20 ,000

s(

\ 1

\LK REPORkT E D C L

KN ,

OU O T O

1

\ >

P


32/201

i-lCiUKh M l I I ( i i o u t M I A l I I M J t L I U I U L ^ M i U M THt t iECUNI) BUKST


33/201

FEET

sd.ooo

- 4 5 . 0 0 0

4 0 , 0 0 0

35 ,000

30 ,000

^ 25,000

cH5 0 , 0 0 0

45 ,000

4O,000

3 5 , 0 0 0

3 0 , 0 0 05g 25,000

I

^ 1 .

>iil i

VV


45/201

ORCLES WDICATe POSITIONS AT 6-HOURLY INTERVALSDATE MOICATES 0 0 0 0 GCT POSITION

FIGURE 2 li METEOROLOGICAL TRAJECTURILS FROM THE SEVENTH BURST

JU*'


46/201

PtEt

5 0 , 0 0 0

4 5 , 0 0 0

4 0 , 0 0 0

3 5 , 0 0 0

3 0 J 3 0 0

ALTITUDE,M

o o

'

\\AJ\ \

.

. . R P P f i R T F n

\\

\\

CLOUO

\

TO P

+++

^

^

^

s s H -


47/201

CRCUES MDCATE POSITIONS AT 6-HOURLY INTERVALSDATE OCATCS 0 0 0 0 OCT POSITION

riGURCa.n METEOROLOGICAL TRAJECTORIES FROM THE CIGUTU BURST


48/201

' in the area ascribed to the eighth burst. Light fallout from thisburst, principally in rain areas, continued for several days.

2.3.9 Ninth Burst. ^ The ninth burst, the second most powerful tower shot

^f the series, was detonated at 1205 G.CT., Hay 19. 1953. Thetop at the iBUshroom rfacnad t,ohh,200 feet and x,ne case wasedtinated at 28,000 feet, with a thick stem reaching to thesurface. Figures 2.18 and 2.19 show the vertical soTjndings andthe niet'orological trajectories of this burst, respectively.

The upper part of this cloud was carried to the southeast andover the utilf of Mexico while the lower parts moved eastward andthen northeastward over the Great Lakes. The position of theUQ,000-foot trajectory has been independently verified by theobserved track of a constant-pressure balloon released from' V^mallis AFB by project Moby Dick. This balloon, which waswithin 50 miles of NPG at shot time, floated at about 1 0,000 feetand was tracked to a point 150 milas east of Jacksonville. Fla.Although fallout from the mushroom was evident over New MexLcc

Von May 19, this oortion of the cloud moved beyond the reportingnetipric by May 20. However, heavy dry fallout from the stem,associated with the 10,000-foot and 18,000-foot trajectories wasobserved over Colorado and Kansas, while precipitation over theuf>per Midwest resulted in the highest values reported in thatregion for the series. >


49/201

55,000PtT

50,000

45,000

40,000

35,000

30,000

I 25,000

Iir '--.--REPOF\

. -.

ITED CL

\

OUO TO

V\-

P

s .V \V. \

-

.

. ,.

'^

:, -, ... ^

. *

.


50/201

IWICATE POSITIONS AT SfHOURLY INTERVALS'DATE INDICATES 0 0 0 0 GCT POSITION - ^ f ^ r

F I G UR E 2 . 1 8 M E T E O R O L O G I C A L T R A J E C T O R I E S F R O M T H E N I N T H B U R S T


51/201

The vertical sounding at shot time (Figure 2.20)~ihciicates that ""southwest winds prevailed at all levels, reaching a maximum of120 knots at the top of the mushroom. The trajectories areshown in Figure 2.21. A low pressure area over Californiaresulted in the movement of debi>is in the lowest levels tonfiishington and Oregon. A detailed account of the observed fall-3Ut in this area is ccntained in a report from the lianford' Atondc Products Operation (li). The debris at higher levelsmoved extremely rapidly to the east and the 30,00 0-foot trajectorycrossed the Kew England coast 2k hours after detonation. Since.fallout from the ninth burst persisted over most of the countryimtil after the detonation of the tenth burst, it is extremely( fficult to differentiate between the two. The burst assignment,and consequently the extrapolation to sampling day, must beconsidered questionable at many stations on May 2$ and forseveral days thereafter.

At abotzt the time the rapidly moving upper cloudflrom'the tenth burst was over the east coa^t, a violent hailstormoccurred at Washington,. D. C. A detailed analysis of theactivity in the large hailstones occuridng in this storm wasmade by the Naval Research Laboratory (5). The activity inthe hailstones ranged from 0.5 to 3.2 x 10"- curie/ml, corrected

1


52/201

PE S

5O.00O

45,000

40,000

35,0O0

30,0009s 25,000 ^

/

^\

NREPORT

\\ >\ \ \

EO CLO

V

\1

JO TOP

VX

.: : 1. .

>


53/201


54/201

5 0 , 0 0 0

4 5 , 0 0 0

4 0 , 0 0 0

3 5 , 0 0 0

3 0 , 0 0 0 -

2 5 , 0 0 0

- . t1

- \

I

' ' - " '

R E f

\\

'ORTEO

k

CLOUD

'

T O P

.

,

. -

' -

.

; "

' . ^

.

^

^^^T"

V .V


55/201

for several days, as indicated by the meteorological trajectories(Figure 2.23) and carried the debris generally to the northeast.Again, with the eleventh biirst, it was not always possible todistingiiish between debris from this and the previous burst.Precipitation was rather widespread following the eleventh biirst,and most fallout occurred in rain areas.


56/201

iR

NVSMN

r


57/201

C i JU *IB l 3

TOTAL FALLOUT F R O i THE UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE TE STS

3.1 INTRODUCTION

A k no w le dg e o f w h at f r a c t i o n o f t h e r a d i o a c t i v e d e b r i s r e l e a s e din the de tona t ion o f an a tomic dev ice i s accoun ted fo r by them o n i t o r in g n e tw o rk hag p r a c t i c a l i m p o r t a n c e n o t o n l y i n e v a l u a t i n gth e per fonnance o f the netwnrfc , bu t a l so in r e la te d p ro je c t s( e . g . . P r o j e c t S u n sh in e ( 6 ) ) . j i s t i m a t e s o f t h e t o t a l b e t aa c t i v i t y i n t h e f i s s i o n p r o d u c t s a s a f u n c t i o n o f w eapon y i e l d c a nbe made (7, p. 251), and these can be comrjared with the betaa c t i v i t y c o l l e c t e d b y t h e m o n i t o r i n g n e t w o rk . F o r c o n ve n ie n ce i nm ak in g t h e c a l c u l a t i o n s , a l l a c t i v i t y d i s c u s s e d i n t h i s c h a p t e rhas been re fe r re d to a common d a te , Ju ly 1 , 12 53 . ibc t r a po la t ion sto t h i s dat e were made on the b a s i s of the t~^*^ law (Se ct io n 1 . 2) .I t should be noted th a t some of the f ac to rs which tend to b i a s th eex t ra po la t io n to s amnl ing da te towards h igh va lu es ( such asa s c r i b i n g d e b r i s t o a t oo r e c e n t b u r s t ) , t e nd t o b i a s t h e e x t r a p o l a t i o n t o J u l y 1 t o w a r d l o w v a l u e s .A s t u d y o f t h e t o t a l f a l l o u t from t h e d e t o n a t i o n o f t h e

TABLE 3. 1 : :


58/201

Total Fallout (d/m/ft^) i s of June 11*, 1953, in the Continental United Stttes ,Iqr Regions and Bursts, Extrapolated to July 1, 1953. (Excluding the Test Site Are)V

B u r s t B H K M Q KaanWash. Hon. N.D. Minn. Mich. N.Y. >fe. Cal.Nev. Col. Kan. Iowa Va. Tex. Ark. Tenn. N,C, U.S.

> " . :

CO

, or

; ' ; _ . ; :

\ 1 ' ' . . . * ' - "

: . . 1 ' .-2-r . ,3-

. - * : ' . : % :

s 5 - ^ . ; . 6. . i : , ; , , .-.7, '.89rm. '11

Qrei

0Wi960195718 7150> U8" ^ 2 6 6 885?*^iJ 2 7 2 ,

. i ' . - , ,

I d a .% o .

2211911167165126910312U7U3062~18U9

S.D. 1Neb.

8322172U261366273721572336230^66 7

Wis. Ind.OhioKy .

15 3 16172 31*70 1*61*6 3736 1*971 1713893 3791*30 1687078 ,71682263 30U625 2 801

Pa.N.J .

5396325281*517 972295093251*18121197

N.H. Utah N.M. Okla . n i . W.Va.Vt. Ar iz . Mo. Md.Mass. Del.R . I . D.C.Conn.1*29 0 11 678 325 I4O3 319i*06 0 8065 95 125 1072 830 0 333 lOl* 2 . 8 1125887 0 1*1* 183 256. 31 8719 9 h 396 93 67 I68 l51*19 3 165 1023 3099 360 177 1131859 32 3868 2591*6 51*53 31*33 1235392 ll*9 131 539 297 I8I ; 1*0951 3 27 2327 39856 11902 71*82 2253338 58 1878 26U3 2651 1862 1858580 0 81*l4 3981 2338 2958 265

U . Ala. S,C.M i s s . Os,

83b 353 3725 11331 266 198? 65318 3 21*8 151 1090 19 20 57139 356 103 71201U 1362 156 160I46O8 30 82 33 63 10571*02 662 706 2706561 1873 1*597 U596161*6 571* 1665 11*73229 156 230 165;5,1087 12631 13891* 15788 1U88O 10790 1*35 18920 77217 23776 17778 6888 1651*3 8951 I6703 9238

1415lUol*91211

lOi*667U6235196773-2022 i'llOl'


59/201

PIOU RE 3.1 BBQIOi^S USED IN COMPUT INQ TOTAL FALLOU T IN THE UNI'IED STATES (FIQIRESINDICATE PERCENT OF TOTAL AREA OF THE UNITED STATES INCLUDED IN EACH RB dlCW)


60/201

d i s t r i b u t i o n , t h e I S iite d S t a t e s was d i v i d e d i n t o s e v e n t e e n r e g i o n s .T he r e g i o n s , a nd t h e i r p e r c e n t a g e o f t h e t o t a l a r e a o f t h e I fc iite dS t a t e s a r e s hown i n F i g u r e 3 . 1 . The average guiraned f i l m a c t i v i t yo f a l l s t a t i o n s i n e a c h r e g i o n a t t r i b u t a b l e t o a s c e c i f i c b i r s t( S e e S e c t i o n 1 . 2 ) w a s f o u n d for every day of sampling from March 17t o J u n e H i , 1 9 5 3 ( t h e l a s t da y on w hic h da i ly s a no le s w e re c o l l e c t e d ) .The a v e r a g e a c t i v i t y s o determined was assum.ed to be representat iveo f t h e r e g i o n . T a b l e 3 , 1 ^ v e s the r e s u l t s of th i s stud;-- . Thea v e r a g e a c t i v i t y (d / m / f t ") ex t ra po la t ed to Ju ly 1 , 1953 in eachr e g i o n fr om e a c h b u r s t i s show n, t og e the r w i th t he t o t a l s fo r t hes e r i e s (e x c lu d i n g th e t e s t s i t e ar e a i n a l l c a s e s ) .Prom the d ata in Ta ble 3 . 1 , t he t o t a l f a l l ou t i n t he U ni t e dS t a t e s w a s c o m p u t e d b y mult ip l^ / lng t i e mean a c t iv i t y fo r eachburs t by the to ta l a rea of tne Uni ted S ta tes and conver t ing tome ga c ur ie s by the re l a t i o n sn in : 1 me ^ a cur ie = 2 .22 x IQ- ' d/m. Acomparison of the to ta l be ta ac t iv i ty produced '.."L"-,- " re air.z.:r,z

a c coun te d fo r by tne c o n t in e n ta l mon i to r ing c rc - ra r . s i sTable 3 .2 . :i..^.v;. ii .

TABLE 3.2Total Fallout in tre Continental United States


61/201

It is evident from Table 3.2 that only a small fraction of theradioactive debris produced in an atonic detonation is deoosited ona horizontal surface and carv be accounted for by the nationwidefallout monitoring network.

/

It is of some interest to deterrane the fraction of the dsoriswhich fell on the United States on successive days following eacnburst. Table 3.3 shows the nercenta- e of the total observedfallout from, each burst, exclusive of the test site area, w.hichwas observed by the monitoring network on the day of the burst andon each succeeding day until no debris could be attributed to t e


62/201

TABLE 3 . 3P e r c e n t o f Tota l O bse rve d A c t iv i t y Co l l e c t e d on Ea c h Da y Fol low ingfiach B u r s t , C o n t i n e n t a l U n i t e d S t a t e s ( E x c l u d i n g T e s t S i t e A r e a ) .

9 10 11 12% % % %

1 - 2 -

- - 12 5 7 15 7 2 3 ;2 3 - -1 1 1 -

^ Days After BurstB u r s t _N o. 0 1 2 3 U 5 6 7 8% % % % % % % % %1 hh&79 9 . h 3 - ' 22 59 1 1 9 U 2 2 5 1 * -3 2 22 10 2 27 19 18 - -U 1 1 5 7 2 U - 3 1 2 1 - -5 1 2 U 1 1 2 U 1 2 5 1 3 9 26 2 3 U 2 U 6 6 1 i U l * -7 6 3 7 2 1 19 7 5 1 - 1

8 30 17 ' 7 10 7 3 3 U 39 ' 38 19 13 10 9 7 3 1 -^ ' - "T O 3 15 ll* 16 . 1 1 o 6 7 5/ ^ l 1 1 l a 16 12 U 3 2 3 UA l l B u r s t s 17 30 15 10 a 5 5 3


63/201


64/201

expressed in di si nt eg ra t io ns per minute per sqxiare foot . I so li nesof- constant activity are shown, and the average activity in thenorthern hemisphere determined by graphical int eg ra ti on . Anaverage, value for the southern hemisphere was al so est imated, and the.total "world-wide fal lout was computed. The resul t s are shownin Table 3.li.

- TABLE 3.ItTotal Fallout From the Upshot-Knothole Series as of June lU, 1953

.2t&iited States(Excluding Test Site)Northern Hemisphere(Excludinir Test Site )Southern HemisphereTest Site .Total for World

d/m/ft'

179003000120

megacuries*

0.683.71 .0.152.2U6,10

. ^ ofTotal Produced2.6

15.30.69.3

25.2^-activity, decayed to July 1, 1953.


65/201

half of the world. In addition, the extrapolation to July 1, 1953,was done on an arbitrary basis for the weekly sampling stations, andmay have resTilted in an oinderestimate of the~total fallout becauseof the tendency to use a too recent burst in extrapolating activityof mixed origin.Since the mjonitoring program.s a r e able to account for only 25^of the fission product activity produced by the Ifcshot-Knothole

series, a s of June lu, 1953. tne quesTixon arises as to cr.e aisposi-tion of the remaining 7$^ of the debris.^ It is difficult to assessthe probable error involved in the various monitoring programs, butas pointed out above, the possibility of considerable error existsin attenpting to estimate the total fallout from a relatively fewgummed film m.onitoring stations. If it is assumed that the testsite results are in error by no more than a factor of two, that thegummed film data are also within a factor of two of being correct,and that both errors operate to make the totals too low, it wouldstill be inpossible to account for about 5 0 ^ of the debris as ofJxme Hi.One possible explanation is that considerable debris is stillpresent in the atm.osphere in the form of verj*- stiall particles, thesmallest of which are in virtual colloidial suspension in the air,and the slightly larger particles continue to settle out at a


66/201

It.is possible that a considerable amount of debris remainsairtjome. If it is assumed that the activity is uniformly distributed (by weight) in the troposphere, below the 150 millibarlevel, then an average activity on July 1 of 7.8 d/m/per cubic.meter of air at NTP would be required to account for 12 m.egacuries(50^ of the activity produced). No such activities are observed.Although air. filter operations were stopped shortly after theconclusion of the %shot-Knothole tests, an examination of theair filter data following the last lumbler-onapper..series showedthat air concentrations averaged less than 3 d/m/K within twoweeks of the last burst.

Fraathe foregoing computations, it seems likely that theexplanation of the difference between monitored fallout and theactivity produced lies in the failiire of the monitoring networkto measure all the debris xifhich comes to earth.


67/201

CBAfTER hTHE DESIGir OF A FAIXOOT MONITORIirG HETtfORK

^^ SPATIAL VARIABILITY C^ FALLOtTTIn the design of a gumned film fallout wonitorlns network, theproper spacing of stations is a function of the spatial variability

of the deposited debris, of the allowable tolerance in missing smallareas of high fallout, and of the duration of the sampling period.It should be noted that the allowable tolerance may be variable fromregion to region depending on the importance of radioactive contamination to the industrial or other activities of the region.For the twenty-four hour sampling period used in the continentalunited States diaring the Upshot-Knothole series, the variability of

deposited activity from station to station can be studied as afunction of the spacing of obsearvation points. To estimate thegreatest possible accuracy in locating areas of high concentrationof debris, using a hypothetical network of stations spaced at six-foot intervals, a study was made of the difference in activity foundon the two gumzaed film stands spaced six feet apart at seven stationsin the eastern United states, and at three stations in the westernunited States close to the test site (Ely, ITev., Milford, Utah, and

t a .a


68/201

Iu.oKso52UlX

7 0SOSO

21 40

B M U r n US - a ft opartWtrn U S - " "Airport ond City otf ic*


69/201

The rasulta Just cited would indicate the max imum possibleaccuracy to be obtained from hypothetical networks of stationsspaced at six-foot and at lO-mile intervals. A similar study hasbeen oade using separate stations in the Upshot-Knothole network.For the study, three base stations were selected, Rochester, N. Y. ,Montgomery, Ala., and Concordia, Kan., and the activity at eachbase station was compared with the activity on the same day at allsurrounding stations up to a distance of 600 miles from the basestation. Comparisons in every case involv-d the sctirity en th3gunmed film ex posed on only one stand (stand nvasber l) at eachstation. The data were grouped according to distance from thebase station, 0-100 miles, 100-200 miles, etc. No significantdifferences were found among the three base stations and a composite tabulation was prepared combining the restilts from allthree. The results are shown in Figure U. 2. From this figure,it is possible to make certain deductions concerning the appropriatespacing of stations. For ex ample, if it is desired that no falloutof three orders of magnitude or more different from that at asajBpling station go undetected at least 95 ^ of the time, thenstations should be spaced no more than 3 00 miles apart, assvminga 2U-hotu: sampling period and one gummed film ex posed at eachstation.

For comparison with the Tumbler-Snapper tests, a similarstudy using the same base stations was made for data from thatseries. However, the differences between stations were computed

a9.9L


70/201

ou.o

oduo5z

Ooz


71/201


72/201

i.2.1 200 to 600 Miles From Test SiteIn the region trom. 200 to 6OO miles from the test site,intense ground deposition will (barring accident) result from dry-fallout, since no tests are fired if precipitation is expecteddovrarlnd within 500 miles of NPG. Circumstances which favor Intensefallout in this region would include the production of largeamounts of debria (high-yield tower burst) and a relatively slow-iKTvlng cloud. Lack of wind shear would coatribui;e zo a narrowfallout area, but at these close distances,, fallout of largeparticles from a small portion of the cloud may result in localizedhigh activity even in the presence of large shears. An exampleof intense localized fallout within a few hundred miles of the testsite is shown in the fallout map for March 2k (Figure A.8). Anarrow band of heavy dry fallout extends froja E ly, Nev., northeastward through Salt Lake City, Utah, to Casper, Wyo., apparentlyassociated with the upper part of the stem and the very lowest partof the muahroom of the cloud. The mo.


73/201

2 . Th e presenca of a high concentration offlfash debris aloft (fast-moving mushroom),3 Fwicipitatlon^producing clouds ex tendingto high levela (showers or thimdershowers).

In general, all three conditions must be satisfied for havy rallontto result. The spatial distribution of heavy fallout and thepossibility of local areas of Intense contamination under theseconditions is therefore a function of the distribution of debrisaloft and of the distribution of the precipitation which scavengesit .

A n astljnate of the rate at which the concentration ofdebris aloft decreases away from the center of the cloud can be madeusing certain simplifying assimrptions. If it is assumed that thereIs a point source of debris, no wind shear and a coefficient ofhorizontal eddy diffusivity of lOcm^sec~-^, then after 3 6 hours thedistribution of debris, if projected on a horizontal surface, i.sas shown In Table k.l, which gives the activity at various distancesftrcm the center of the cloud relative to the peak activity.

TABLE" k.l


74/201

A l t h o u ^ the distribution of precipitation is knownto ha wary irregular and to have many snail-scale features, veryV little of the voluminous literature on precipitation distributionis directly applicable to the present problem. One study, byLinsley and Kohler (10) , of a network of 5 5 uniformly-spaced raingages in a rectangxilaa? area roughly 10 miles by 20 miles in Ohio,during two thunderstorm seasons showed that in about 256 of the storms,one preassigned station will have less than 0.01 inch of rain whileanother station in the 200-square mile area will observe o^er 1.00inch of rain. If it is assumed that 1.00 inch of rain will scavenge,virtually, all debris in the air above the station, while less than0.10 inch of rain will be relatively Ineffective for .scavenginglarge aoounta of debris, it is obvious that large gradients indeposited activity will ex ist over small areas.

^.3 imSENSE FALLOUT AT ALBANY. H. Y.A n Interesting example of a small area of very intense fallout

occurred near Albany, N . Y., on April 26, following the seventhburst. On this date, the highest gummed film activity ever observedby the monitoring netifork, 16,000,000 d/ iVft^/day, occurred on thefilm ex posed at the Albany airport. Althovigh there are six monitoringstations within 15 0 miles of Albany , the fallout intensity worildhave been underestimated by about three orders of magnitude in thisarea had there-been no station at Albany . From an analysis of themeteorological data, it appears that the intense activity at Al bany


75/201


76/201

Tlgores k.3 to k.9 show the precipitation recorded during eachhoar between 2200 G.C.T., April 26, and 030O O.C.T., April 27 , onall available recording rain gages in the area. Areas withSKasurable amounts of precipitation are shaded; more than O.3O In/hris indicated by hatching. The spotty character and large horizontalgradients characteristic of showery larecipitatlon are evident inthese maps. Althovigh the areas of heavy rainfall from 2300 to 2^00O.C.T, on April 26 agree well -clth the location of areas of highactivity as deterainod from tha aircraft, it is certainly probtiblethat other areas, not surveyed by air and not containing groundiKmltorlng stations, would have had even higher readings. Foraxainple, a very heavy showor occvirred in eastern Pennsylvaniabetween 2200 and 23 00 G.C.T. Southern Verm9nt and western Massa-efaosetts had heavy showers from 0200 to 03 OO G.C.T. These may wellhave acavenged more debris than was fotmd near Albany. The reasonfor the much lower activities found at Bingharrpton^ and othermonitoring stations within 15 0 miles of Albany is evident from theprecipitation distribution.

If it is desirable to reduce the probability of intenselocalized contamination, in the eastern half of the country, whichmay go undetected by the present monitoring network, tests should beavoided in periods w M c h combine showery precipitation regimes withrapid eastward flow at upper levels. The former are most prevalentin the Spring and Summer months while the latter is most common inthe winter half of the year, although each can occur in all seasons.


77/201


78/201


79/201


80/201


81/201


82/201

Terr poeaible for thundershovers to coincide with a lauch fresherelood la the region Just beyond the 600-inile llait.If the activity at Albany is taken to be 10*^ d/ o/ ^t^/^y(this value is oore nearly the aetivity at the actual time offallout, since the debris vas 36 hours old rather than one dayold as Is assumed In the siinplified routine extrapolation procedure used). It is possible to estiaate the effect of a siiailarsituation in, say, western Kansas, wbere both dlffuglon in'idcay would have had less time to operate. If the falloutoccurred within 5 or 6 hoijtrs of burst time, the Increase inconcentration of deposited activity due to the shorter decaytiiB* alone would be by a factor of 10. The Increase due to theshorter time available for diffusion (and shear) to act wouldbe at least a factor of 6 and could be more than a factor of100 under certain reasonable assiasptions, resulting in activitiesof the order of 10^ to 1 0 ^ d / Vft^ at the time of deposition.

^.5 OTHER POSSIBLE CASES OF IJ3TE5SS FALLOUTIt is also of interest to ex amine the trajectories andprecipitation patterns accompanying bursts of this and previousNevada tests series to see if other potentially serious cases ofintense localized fallout could have occtirred which wereundetected by the monitoring network. Several such situationswere found. They are: Hew York and New England on November 1,


83/201

CHAPTER 5

EREFE RRED MONTHS FOR NEVADA TESTS^ n a M M M M B M M W a M i M > ^ M M ^ H W ^ H ^ ' I ^ ' ^ I I Ml I '

5.1 tACTCRS STODIEDExtensive studies have indicated that there is no more satisfactory location in the continental United States at which toconduct atomic tests than the Nevada Proving Grounds, when allfactors are considered. Assvmilng, therefore, that future continental test series will be conducted there, some attention shoiildbo given to the problem of selecting the most suitable season forthis purpose. The last two continental test series, the onlycontinental teats involving high-yield tower shots, have both beenin the spring, and the question arises as to whether this is the

best season from a meteorological point of view. Of the factors tobe considered, the most important is the probability of favorableweather at the test site. However, several other factors shouldalso be considered. These include the probabilility of avoidingintense local fallout at sone distance from the test site, thepossibility of reducing total fallout in the United States andthe possibility of minimizing adverse public reaction due to thewidespread belief that the atomic tests, in soise fashion, cause


84/201

!EABLB 5


85/201

TKELB 5 - 2P e r c e n t a g e Frequency o f Favo rab le Wind D i re c t io ns O v e r L a s V e g a s

--/','' 'S ea so n ' - . . " .Altitude Dec-Jan-Feb Mar-Apr-May Jun-Jul-Aug Sept-Oct-Nov

850 mb. (5,00 0 ft.) l 5 W i h kkTOO mb. (10,00 0 ft.) 59 61 92 71500 mb. (18,00 0 f t . ) . 6 6 68 90 7330 0 Bib. (30,00 0 ft.) 69 73 90 71200 Bib. (10,000 ft.) 77 76 91 75Source; . Reference 13.

With the exception of the higher incidence of thunderstorms inthe summer months, this season seems best suited to test operationsat Las Vegas. If thunderstorm activity is to be avoided or if testsare not desirable in the heat of the desert stimaer, fall vould besome^at preferable to spring because of the higher probability ofhaving cloudless days in the fall.

5.3 PROBABILITY T^ NTEITSE LOCAL FALLOUT AWAY FROM THE TEST SITE


86/201

TABLE 5.3percentage Frequency of Winds of 75 Giots or MoreProo Favorable Directions at Las Vegas

Dec-Jan-Feb Mar-Apr-May Jime-July-Aug Sept-Oct-Nov30,000 ft. 21 17 2 9 -llO^OOO ft. 28 19 9 13

Source: Reference 13..

Proa Table S***, It is evident that thtinderstorm activity isat a minimum from November through February, with a slight increase in number in the southeastern and south-central States in March./Ktis increase continues in April and May , and from June throughAugust thunderstorms are frequent over most of the country, withthe exception of the Pacific Coast region. A marked decrease occursin September, except for the Gulf coast region, and by Octoberthunderstonns are again relatively rare. If situations favorableto intense local fallout at distances greater than 6OO miles fromthe test site are to be avoided, the months of October and; November seea to be preferable, since both thunderstorm activityin the United States and fast upper winds over Las Vegas arerelatively infrequent in these months. r

TABLE 5.4Mean Number of Days Per Month With Thunderstorms


87/201

OrtN.

^

Saatem United StatesBoston^uffalo^New York WashingtonMemphisMontgomeryJacksonvilleMiamiCentral Unltied StatesMinneapollaChicagoSt. LouisHew OrleansWilllstbnAmarilloCarpus Cbristl

PeriodofRecord

586269817281624361746154726267

J**.

'. 2111

; * *120#1

F

.22211201

M

11114432123412

A

1222544

2355133

M

244566886576375

J

4566810131187911774

J57788Ills1477715784

A..

45667916^376715584

:.-;S

2333448115457245

0

I11212**

2232' * 32

H> .1 ;. 211I

11110*1

,Df' 1111

0' '*201

Periodof

TABLE ^.k (Cont'd)

J F M A M J J A S O U


88/201

JRecordWestern United StateaAlbuqiiierqpMSalt U k e CitySpokanePhoenixElkoLas V egasLos AngelesSan FranelaooSeattleDenverCheyenne

232672585161126616972*Le88 than 3/2 day*Sour ce: U. S* Pep artaan t of ConDBrcei

*#***0***0

1Q101#*

11'1******

2

22 67

6531310*1.910

1372.775*1U13

1382953> *11010

5414420144

32111**11

1**1a

Weather Bureau, Local Climatological Data*

TABLE 5.5Mean Annual Precipitation in the United States and the Percent Occurring in Each Month


89/201

Mean Annual Monthly PercentagesPrecipitation J F M A M J J A 3 0 N DE astern Statea

AlabamaDelawareFloridaGeorgiaKentuckyMarylandMississippiN.N. EnglandMe.,N.H.,Vt,S.N. EnglandMass.,R.I.,Conn.New Jersey

THev YorkN. CarolinaOhioPenna.S. CarolinaTennesseeVirginiaVest Virginia

53.6144.0853.3750.3145,2741.8753.45

39.7843.9145.6939.3249.6238.0042.1347.9149.8042.0643.14

985910810888788771088

10761087978878779977

11961010811898899881190

886898988887987988

78779988889810107899

8913991089889910101081010

10111411910910910101210101291111

911131061189910911910128119

6813768699898889687

576567568887786677

774686798786775766

9859681086888778978

TABIE 5.5 (Cont'd)-

1

Mean AnnualPrecipitation J F M A Monthly PercentageaM J J A s 0. N D


90/201

Central StateaArkansas. IllinoisIndionaIowaKansasI LouisianaMichiganMinnesotaMissoiu"!N. Dakota Nebraska^ Oklahoma, S. DakotaTexasWisconsinWestern States'h^'-i-s Arizona


91/201

In general, it appears that total fallout in the United Statescould be reduced somewhat by scheduling test series in the latef a U .

5'f MINIMrZIEG ADVERSE PUBLIC REACTIONThe spring of 1953 was characterized in several regions of thecountry by unusual weata^r coauiclcna: a large number ojf tornadoas,eoolj excessively dry weather in the southwest and greater thannormal precipitation in the east. The theory that these events werein some way related to the Upshot-Knothole tests, which took placein the same period, gained widespread public acceptance, althoughthere is as yet, despite intensive study by the Weather Bxureau, noscientific evidence to support this contention.According to F. W . Relchelderfer, Chief of the Weather Bureau,"The usual thing about weather is that it is unusual in some place

or other. The strange thing to us is that the public never remembersthis. Year after year, there is very unusual weather someplace -heavy rainfall, tornadoes, freezes, frosts...". It follows, there-ftare, that adverse public reaction can be minimized by schedxilingtest series for periods ^ e n weather is of least importance ineveryday activities, if such periods exist, and when catastrophicstorms are less likely to occur.


92/201

Of course,- other phenomena have different seasonal distribution.Eorrlcanes are moat likely in the fall, freezes of greatest significance in the spring, drou ^ts of greatest importance dinring thegraving se as on Te tc, but, with the exception of hurricanes, weatherphenomena are probably of least iinportence to the general public inthe fall, after the major crops are harvested.

From the point of view of suitable weather, both at the testSite and throughout the coxintry, it appears that the months ofOctober and November would oe most satisfactory for test operations.


93/201

CEAFEER 6SPECIAL OBSEEVATIONS

6.1 TIFES OF OBSERV ATIONSA special series of gvrss-d film and high-rolusie sir flltsrobasrvatlon was made at St. Louis, Mo., during the Upshot-Knothole

teat series in order to gain irore information concerning theprocesses by which radioactive debris is collected with themonitoring network. Observations were made at the St. LouisUniversity Meteorological Observatory, on the roof of a buildingnear the center of the city, and over a grass surface at Florrisant,a suburb of St. Louis about twelve miles north of the University.At the University, saniples were collected by two regular gummedfilm stands, by a high-volume air filter and by two specially-constructed gummed film stands around which the film was wrappedin a cylindrical shape, with the axis vertical and a rain shieldextending over the top. At Florrisant, three gummed films wereexposed, one in the normal position three feet above the grovmd,the second in an inverted position directly below the first, andthe third directly on the groimd with the gunaaed side up. Each ofthe above collections were made for 12-hour periods, beginning at 7:30a.m. and 7^30 p.m. each day, so that any diurnal effects could be

, .;. \/-. . :"..;; T A B L E ' 6 . I -


94/201

-. Results of St. Louis ObservationsType of Observation Average Activity on Counting Day(d/iV ftV l2 hrs.)No R ain BainRegular l80 210-:.- .Inverted .. 27 - 33(ground U80 h9>The results are for 52 periods without rain and 19 periods withrain (a few periods with a trace of rain are omitted from the s x a a a a r y ) .The relationships in Table 6.1 are essentially xinchanged if onlyperiods with heavy fallout are considered. For example, if the twoperiods with the heaviest fallout are considered (both periods without r a i n ) , the average values for the regular, inverted and groundfilms are $ U 0 0 , 36 0 , and 5U0 0 d/m/ft^/l2 h r s . , respectively, oncounting day. It is apparent that there is deposition on the

inverted film due to eddy motion, but that it amounts to only fiveto ten percent of the activity deposited on a horizontal surface.If latfge particles are responsible for the activity, this result iseasily understood. However, if the activity found near St. Louis isconfined principally to particles of the order of two microns or l e s s ,the.gravitational settling would be.negligible, of the order of 10'.cm s e c " - ^ , and would be completely overwhelmed by the normal eddymotion of the atmosphere. If the small-scale eddy motions are


95/201

regular gummed films during no rain periods, and about 15 ^ asQ ch during periods with rain. Becatise of the great variabilityIn the amount of debris present and the small number of active samplesObtained, no conclusions could be reached concerning diurnalTariability of deposition or the relationship of deposition toother meteorological factors such as wind speed, teisperaturegradients, etc.


96/201

CBAPCER 7

CQHCLDSIOHS AND R ECOMMENDATIONS

7.1 INTERIM NETWORKBackeroxind gummed film observations of fallout occurring before

the first test of the Upshot-Knothole series indicate that the levelof activity is somewhat higher than on similar observations madeprior to the Ivy and Timibler-Snapper series. There is no conclusive .evidence to show whether this increase is due to downward diffusionfrom a relatively high" concentration of debris injected into thestratosphere as a result of the Ivy shots, or merely to an increasedamount of tropospheric debris. In either case, it is considered desirable to maintain an expanded interim network with special emphasis onsampling in the rainier portions of the globe.' Since much of theactivity detected by such an interim network is of a low order, itwould be advisable to revise the counting procedure so that moreacctcrate measurements could be made, presumably by increasing themaximum covinting time beyond the twenty minutes now in effect.

7-2 TOTAL FALLOUT . -


97/201

7.3 FALLOUT FROM AIR AND TOWER BURSTSFallout both in the vicinity of the test site and elsewherein the country is greater following a burst in which the fireballIntersects the ground (tower burst) than following an air burst.Very little fa3J.out is experienced near the test site from airburstsy while tower bursts deposit about 20^ of the fissionproduct activity produced in the vicinity of the test site. Likewise, for devices of similar yiela, almost live zunes noredebris is deposited elsewhere in the United States following a

tower burst when compared to an air burst, which accounts for the factthat the highest activity reported at individual stations was almostinvariably associated with a tower burst. It follows thatconsiderably greater caution should be ex ercised in selectingDBteorological criteria for tower bursts.

7.4 LOCATION OF STATIONSThe data in Chapter 4 can be used to evaluate the adequacy ofthe present continental network in terms of the allowable tolerancein missing areas of intense fallout. To adequately monitorlocalized areas of intense fa3J.out in the mountainous regionsarouixd the test site, supplementary aircrafts monitoring is necessary.Perhaps consideration should be given to a program of mobilemonitoring even in the eastern half of the country when the


98/201

reanlted li ien heavy thundershowers coincided with the arrival of81 freah, fast-moving cloud from a high-yield tower burst. AslBdlar chance combination of circumstances in the central UnitedStates, within five or six hours after the burst, could lead toactivities of 10 9 to 1 0 ^ d/m/ft^/day. Avoidance of such aaltuatlon would depend upon a meteorological forecast which takesinto consideration the probability of thundershowers coincidingwith the arrival of a fresh cloud of debris. The statisticalprobability of such sa occurrence can be reduced by having testseries in seasons when it is less likely.

7*7 OgriMDM SEASON FOR NEVADA TESTS. Meteorological, considerations indicate that certain seasonsare preferable to others for testing atomic weapons at the Nevadaproving Grounds from the standpoint of weather at the test site,avoidance of intense local fallout at some distance from the site,rediwtion of total fallout in the United states and minimizing

adverse public reaction. A consideration of all these factorspoints to October and November as being the most suitable monthsfor atomic test series in Nevada. This would also correspondto a season when the absorption of radioacti'ylty by growingplants would be near a luinximim.


99/201

AFPESDTX A

MAPS OF DAILY FALLOUT IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA

Figures A.1-A.90 show the data from all fallout-monitoringstations making daily observations from March 17 to June 14 , 1953-The radiological a nd precipitation data is plotted in accordancewith the key given on all maps. (Snowfall amounts have beenreduced to the water equivalent.) All data refer to the 24-hourperiod beginning at 1230 G.C.T. (0730 E.S.T.). Significant radio-acti'Vity (see Section 1.2) measurements are extrapolated to thesangpling day on the basis of tlie indicated burst.^ The activityon counting day is reported for samples of low activity and isIndicated as "unextrapolated". Where two gummed films were exposedsimultaneously, the activities on each are reported, the upperfigure refers to stand number 1, the lower to stand number 2. High-volume air filter activity is reported as L (low) if the activitywas less than 1,5 d/m/M . ""

Dashed lines enclose areas wherein the activity on at leastone gummed film at each station exceeds 100 d/m/ftV


100/201

Figitf'e A.I Radioactive fallout in the 24 -h ou r period beginning 12 30 G.C.T, 17 March 1953


101/201

I

r

CO

Figure A.2 Radioactive fallout in ttie 2 4-t )o ur period beginning 1 23 0 G.C.T, IB Marct) 1 953


102/201


103/201

OO

IMPORTANT NOTEA LL VALUES OFRAOIOMTIVITY,*ITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSEUHDERLINED, &IOULD BE miLTIPLIEDBr A FACTOR OF THREE.

^ ^ ^^K PLOTTING lilODEL' ^ 3 / S . ' - " - * FILTER,d/WII' /doi f KAn/m ior l 'l STI f f lUHST)PRECIPITATIONF.,.A.4 Rodiooclive , o W in Ih . 24 -hir period b e g ^ ^ 1230 6.0T. EO Mo r* 1953


104/201

F . ^ A 5 Rodioootiv. ,0 ,^ 1 ^ ihe 24-hour period be, inn^ , 3 3 0 0.01.21 Morch ,953


105/201

C7;PWOPITATION CODE1 None2 Trace3 0 1 " - 0 3 "4 0 4 " - 1 0 "

i . I I " - 3 0 "6 3 1 " - 1 0 0 "7 1 0 , " - 3 0 0 *8 3 0 1 " - 5 0 0 " 5 0l"oroer

12

1 0IIU

BURST CODE13 20 GCT 17 Marchm o G CT 2 4 M v c h1300 GCT 31 Morch15 30 GCT 6 Apri l1245 OCT I I Apri l12 35 GCT IB April123 0 GCT 2 5 Apri l15 30 GCT 8 Moy1205 GCT 19 Mo15 30 GCT 2 5 MoyI I I 5 GCT 4 Jui i tUneilropolated

Figure A. 6 Radioactive fallout in the 24 -h ou r period beginhing 1 23 0 G.C.T, 2 2 March 19 53


106/201

Figure A.7 Radiooctive fallout in the 24-hour period beginning 1230 G.CT, 23 March 1953


107/201

Co

CD .CUMMEO FILM, * AIR FILTER,d/tn/ll/do> t/m/mHv*(BURST) (BURST)PRECIPITATION

Figure A.8 Radiooctive fallout in the 24-hour period beginning 12 30 G.CT, 24 March 1953


108/201

CUMMEO FILM , 0 AW FILTER,dAn/ll'/dagt ifm/nki*(BURST) (BURST)PRECIPITATION

Figure A.9 Radioactive fallout in the 24 -h ou r period beginning 12 30 G.C.T, 25 March 1953


109/201

Figure A.IO Radioactive fallout in the 24-hour period beginning 1 230 G.CT, 26 March 1953


110/201

* i i i ./ /

mcctntATioN1 Nont2 Tractor - 03"04"- 10 "II"- 30 "31"- 1 0 0 "I 0 1 " - 3 0 0 "3 0 1 " - 5 0 0 "5 01 'of o*9r

C O D E I23497891 0IIU

auRST CODE13 20 GCT 17 MarchI3IO GCT 24 Modi13 00 GCT 31 MordiIS3 0 GCT 6 April1245 GCT I I Apri l1235 GCT 18 April1230 GCT 25 Apri l15 30 GCT 8 Moy1205 GCT 19 Moy1530 GCT 25 Moy111 5 GCT 4 tfuntUncxlropolott4

Figure A.l l Radioactive fallout in the 24-hour period beginning 1 23 0 G.CT, 2 7 March 1953

.^^^VA'/*

ip . 'v^ z^, > s r ^ - ^'^OC^A


111/201

Co

O

V >a--. "Vh. )|c>cc u I n

JS I ? o . '^y . ,?(.,(i5r

ISfi.- T f ^ uT

4f>K

" j i

:^\%w-"^

K: 1 ?" ^ ' \.

1 (i5 Ttj) I") '(2)

is iOoMiriili,ii.r

Soi_if>tPrwMMa^Ri

IS !BMiw. , , tM

PWaPtTATION CODE1 Non.2 Trod* V3 o r - 0 34 04"- 10"6 n"- 30 ' 3 1 " - J 0 0 '7 1 0 1 ' - 3 0 0 "8 3 0 1 5 0 0 '9 5 01 oronr

1234567891 0I IU

8URST CODE1 3 2 0 GCT 17 Morch1 3 1 0 GCT 24 Morcn1 3 0 0 GCT 31 Morcn1 5 3 0 GCT 6 Apri l1 2 4 5 OCT II Apri l1 2 3 5 GCT 18 Apri l1 2 3 0 GCT 2 5 Apri lI S 3 0 G C T 8 May1 2 0 5 GCT 19 Moy1530 GCT 25 Moy1 1 1 5 GCT 4 Jun


112/201

O

Figure A. I3 Radioactive fallout in the 24 'h ou r period beginning 12 30 G.CT, 2 9 March 1953


113/201

COl >

o

PKCIPITATKM COOC1 Non*2 Tioci3 0 1 " 0 3 '4 04" 10"5 I I " 3 06 3 1 " 1 0 0 "7 1 0 1 ' 3 0 0 "a 3 0 1 " - 5 0 0 '9 5 01 or ovtr

12

10I IU

BURST CODE13 20 GCT 17 Morch13 10 GCT 2 4 March1300 GCT 31 Morcn15 30 GCT e Apri l1245 GCT I I Apri l1235 GCT IB Apri l1230 GCT 25 Apri l15 30 GCT 8 Moy120 5 GCT 19 Moy1530 OCT 25 MoyI I I 5 GCT 4 Jun*Unnlropololid

GUMMED FILM , A AIR FILTER ,d/m/l l '/doy d/kyralorl(BURST) (BURST)PRECIPITATION

Figure A.t4 Radioactive fallout in the 24 -ho ur period beginning 12 30 G.CT, 3 0 Ma rch 195 3


114/201


115/201

. . C * 3 ,

ro'

MCOnTATION CODE1. N m2. 1 ( 0 *3, . 0 1 " - . 0 3 "4. .04"- . 1 0 "5 . . 1 1 " - . 3 0 "e 3 1 ' - ( 0 0 "7. I O l " - 3 0 O "8> 3 . 01" - 6 .0 0 " . S O r o r o n r

12

ip .I IU

BURST CODE1320 GCT 17 Morch1310 GCT 2 4 Morch1300 GCT 31 Morch1530 GCT 6 Apr i l1245 GCT I I Apr ir1235 GCT 18 Apr il1230 GCT 25 Apr i l1530 GCT 8 Moy1205 GCT 19 May1530 GCT 25 Moy1115 GCT 4J un


116/201

C 3

Figure A. I7 Radioactive fallout in the 24 -h ou r period beginning 12 30 G.CT, 2 April 1 95 3


117/201

AL L VALUESOFRAOtOACTIVITY,WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSEUi KERLII^D, SHOULD BE MULTIPUEDBY A FACTOR OF THREE.

GUMMED FILM, # AW FILTER,dAn/liVday 4 > W M M ( >(BURST) BURST)PRECIPITATION

Figure A. 18 Radioactive fallout in the 2 4-hour period beginning 123 0 G.CT, 3 April 1953


118/201

CO

en

Figure A.I9 Radioactive fallout in the 24-hour period beginning 1230 G.CT, 4 April 1953


119/201

GUMMED FILM , A AIR FILTER ,dAn/tlVdoy d/nVrntMr*(BURST) (BURST)PRECIPITATION

Figure A .2 0 Radioactive fallout in the 24 -ho ur period beginning 1 23 0 G.C.T, 5 Ap ril 195 3


120/201

Figure A .2 I Radioactive fallout in the 24 -ho ur period beginning 1 23 0 G OT , 6 A pril 19 53


121/201

Figure A.22 Radioactive fallout in the 24 -ho ur period beginning 1230 G.CT, 7 April 1953


122/201

t:

Co

GUMMED FILM, AIR FILTER,d/m/llVday d/m/imnr*(BURST) (BURST)PRECIPITATION '

Figure A .2 3 Radioactive fallout in the 24 -ho ur period beginning 1 23 0 G.CT, 8 April 1 95 3


123/201

PLOTTMM MOKLGUIMEO f ILIi^ m AM FILTER,

d/ tn/ l lVdoy 4/ ln / taalH>(BURST) (BURST)PRECIPITATION

Figure A .2 4 Radiooctive fallout in the 24 -h ou r period beginning 1 23 0 G.CT, 9 April 1 953


124/201

Figure A.2 5 Rodiooctive fallout in the 24 -ho ur period beginning 12 30 G O T, 10 April 1 95 3

/


125/201

*i?r-S P -i i?r f-A.t

4 I V A 1.

CODE

CT,

9 S O r p r O M r

BURST C001320 GCT 17Morch1310 GCT 2 4 Mvch1300 GCT 31 March1530 GCT 6 Ap r i l1245 GCT I I Ap r i l1235 GCT 18 Ap r i l1230 GCT 2 5 Ap r i l1530 GCT 8 May1205 GCT 19 May1530 GCT 25 MoyI I I 5 GCT 4 JuntUneilropololcd

| :

/

I ^ '^ i i *n o 4s

IMPORTANT NOTEA LL VALUES OF RADIOACTIVITY,WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSEUNDERLINEO, SHOULD BE MULTIPLIEDOt A FACTOR OF THREE.

- " >

1Figure A .2 6 Rodiooctive fallout in the 24 -h ou r period beginning 12 30 G.C.T, II April 1953

PLOTTINGCUWDED FILM , AIR FILTER,

d/>n/li'/day d A n / m M r *(BURST) (BURST)PRECIPITATION


126/201

. ' C 7 i -

Figure A .2 7 Radiooctive fallout in the 24-hour period beginning 1 2 3 0 G.CT, 12 April 195 3


127/201

A AIR FILTER,4AivftMNr>(BURST) (BURST)PRECIPITATION

Figure A.28 Radioactive fallout in the 24'hour period beginning 12 3 0 G.CT, 13 April 1953


128/201

5

ComECfflTATION

1. Nom2. tracto r - .03"04" - 10"

H"- 30"3 1 ' - I 00"

I.OI"-" 3.00"3 . 0 1 " - 100"S.Ol "or one (SUMMED FILM, A AIR FILTER,

d/WllVday d/m/nwMr'(BURST) (BURST)

PRECIPITATION

Figure A.29 Radioactive fallout in the 24-h6ur period beginning 1230 G.CT, 14 April 1953

8/9/2019 THE

Date post:	30-May-2018
Category:	Documents
Upload:	scribd3
View:	218 times
Download:	0 times

THE TRANSPORT OF ATOMIC DEBRIS FROM OPERATION UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE - U.S. Atomic Energy Commission

Documents