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BEST AVAILABLE COPY TIIP TO BOM CEASE SITE KEAE THULE 3>t nte In an Air Force plane at about 4:00 FM arriving Plattsburgh, Mew York, at 5:40 FM. I was to auk* connections with a flight bound for Thule, Greenland to discuss arctic ecological pro!less associated with the crash of s 1-52 plane carrying four thcmonuclear boats. The Thule flight was delayed until the worning of January 30, however, because of bad weather conditions in Thule. 1 arrived Thule at 1:40 FM on January 30, was briefed by Dr. Wright Langhea, Dr. H. D. Bruner, and Major General K. 0. Bunt tiger who had arrived earlier the preceedlng week. It was reported that the high explosive element of the devices had detonated releasing plutonium of all four hoots to the environment. Two atoms characterised by high winds dispersed plutonium of crash debris over the 1c* and snow-covered land and seascapes. The plane crashed In ■orth Star Bay, shout seven miles from Thule, tearing a hole in the ice estimated to he 30 meters In diameter, low much debris went Into the water had not been determined, hut It seemed significant to me that no part of the plane's tail had been found as of February 2. On January 31 we were briefed by a group of Danish scientists, with emphasis on the food web and ice behavior. A food web chart is included Is this report. POE ARCHIVES The Danes were mostly concerned about concentration of plutonium in some link of the food web. However, wy own opinion of this possibility is in contrast to their judgements for the following reasons: 1. Plutonium not dispersed on wind-blown metal is deposited on metal end In the Ice at the crash scene, and possibly some entered the water. 2. With the melting of the Ice surface beginning about May 1, this will be released, end with ice break-up about July lt it will ba widely dispersed in the sea.
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4. Iceberg! »craplag tbe eee floor vlll alee ecmtribute churning action that vlll further nix the debris. 3. FlutoeluB Is not likely to enter the food veb to any extent because it Is insoluble, concentrates la the gat of food links of the esklao end thr. Max K. Britton, lead, Arctic Section, Office of level Research, has suggested that a coat of lenp black bo eppliod to the ice et tbe crash sits. This would hastes nelting of the ice and pemit sinking of all debrla at the craah scar before the advent of the spring tides. With this notion, I concur. The Danes are eager to get nuasels, walrus, seal end fish saaplss ianedlately becauss “dilution affects will nakc analysis difficult later.** I believe this Is precisely the case, whether or not sanples ere taken now. It seena certain that they will attenpt to collect all plants and anInals they can get, end I think it will be difficult to challenge their position. Chart on food web BEST AVAILABLE COPY
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Simplified Food Web -- Thule District Carrion, Littoral Debris, Benthic and Epiphyti ** Particularly important for Black Guillemot * Main input from terrestrial food webs