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Biology and Medicine GAMMI DOSE RATES AT RC%GELAP ATOLL, 1954-1963 Laboratory of Radiation Biology University of Washington Work per:Eormed under Contract AT(45-1)1385 with the United States Atomic Energy Commission.
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GAMM;R DOSE RATES AT RONGELAP ATOLL, 1954-1963 3.5 r/k to 35 r/hr. Until 1959 the fallout from a thermonuclear rates on D + 1 ranged froan decline of gamma-dose rates measured in the field followed the theoretical decay of mixed fission prwducts from U 235 calculated by Miller and Loeb. The reduction of gamma dose rates to approximately half the predicted levels in 1959-63 probably reflects the downward movement of the fallouthad little effect on gamma dose rates except in the intertidalzone. It is concluded that predicted gamma dose rates from fallout based on the theoretical decay curve of radfonuclides from fission of U 235 would tend to be equal to or greater
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GAMWi DOSE RATES AT RONGELAP ATOLL, 1954-1963 taminated on March 1, 1954 with radioactive fallout from a thermonucleardevice detonated at Bikini Atoll some 80 miles to the west. Eighty-two natives residing on Rongelap Island were evacuated and repatriated in June 1957. The atoll, its inhabitantsand its economy have been briefly characterized(1)l The decline of gamma dose rates resulting from the fallout is discussed in this report. Bose rates on D c 1 Gamma dose rates at Rongelap Atoll on D + 1 (time of detonation plus one day) were estimated to be 3.5 r per hour at the inhabited islet of Rongelap in the south and 35 r per hour at uninhabited Lomuflal islet in the northern part of the atoll('2),Fig,,1. These estimates were based on extrapolations of measurements made two days after initial fallout(2). The subsequent decline of gamma dose rates, based on survey meter readings taken three feet above the ground at Rongelap and I&belle islets, is compared with the theoretical decay (3)
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in Figs. 2 and.3. The theoretical products from slow neutron fission there is no fractionation and that curve is based on fission and the assumptions that the radionuclfdea are distributed over an infinite plane, while at Rongelap measurable amounts of activity remained on the trees. The actual measurements fit closely to the theoretical decay curve for Rongelap islet and at l.eastfor the first four ye.arsafter fallout at Kabelle islet in spite of the assumptions made in determining the theoretical curve and the variability of the field measurement8. The measurements on one small islet may vary by a factor of more than three, even when the identical instrument is used by the same person. Decline following first storm About two weeks after initial contamination there was a storm with :heavyrain, and a subsequent reduction in gamma dose rate somewhat greater than would have been expected on Fallout in 1956 and 1958 The rises in gaannadose rates in 1956 and 1958 were due t0 Operations Redwing and Hardtack. Even though there was a measurable amount of contamination, as was seen by the shortlived radionuclides present and by following the beta decay rates in plants collected in 1958, the total contribution was
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a fraction of one per cent of the fallout deposited in 1954. Therefore the Redwing and Hardtack fallout are insignificant when considering the long-range picture. Selection of areas and reproducibility of repeated measurements In March 1958, stakes were set out in various parts of Rongelap islet in an attempt to provide a means of repeating measurements'at identical locations. Stakes proved to be unsatisfactory since they only served to attract the curious, which resulted in trampling and disturbance of the areas and in some cases removal of the stakes. A practical solution to this problem was to select general areas within which measurements were to be taken. These areas were located with relation to pathways, roads, buildings, and measured distances from landmarks. In each general area measurements were taken over different types of vegetation, soil, the pathways themselves, over litter, and under Pandanus trees and other tall plants. In August 1958, the set of measurements was repeated three time8 at Rongelap islet and twice at both Eniaetok and Kabelle islets. At Rongelap islet the average for each set of readings ranged from 0.046 to 0.067 ~~/hr. At Eniaetok the range of the average readings was 0.073 to 0.079 xnr/'hrand at Kabelle islet,
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Local differences in dose rates at three feet The highest levels measured were generally under trees, particularlyunder Pandanus tree6 where litter had accumulated. The highest levels at Rongelap islet in 1955 were measured in the remainitngpalm-frond hut6 where fallout remained trapped in the roof and the wall thatching. Reading6 one inch above the floor were lower than those at three feet above the ground and reading6 close to the walls and roof were highest of all. There were relatively high reading6 over some open area6 where soil algae were abundant. The soil algae form a crust roughly one centimeter thjtckand retain most of the radionuclides from Return to background level expected, in the intertidal zone, except area6 of beach rock covered with a film of algae. tidal zones at Kabelle and Rongelap islets and in the newly constructed village on Rongelap islet. Construction of the village entailed the removal of the thatched hut6 and bulldozing of a conaiderabbe part of the area.
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Local differences in dose rates at one inch Survey meter readings were also taken at one inch above the ground with the beta shield both open and closed. There was no between these readings and the gamma dose rate readings at three feet, except in a very general way, but such readings were useful in selecting areas from which to sample and indicated local distribution of the activity. For example, when measurements <were made one inch over the ground with the shield open in 1959, the levels were higher after the litter was removed from the sail and there were markedly higher levels of activity over areas covered with soil algae than over bare sand. Attempts also were made with a survey meter to determine lOCal differences in activity in trees. This was unsUcces3fu1, since the general levels of activity masked local effects within the trees, even though laboratory analyses showed that the activity in lichens and mosses cOlleCt8d from the bark was several times higher than in the bare portions of the trees. The US8 of sUrV8y meters t0 determine the vertical distribution Of activity in soil pits was impracticable dtie to the high baclcground levels from surrounding contamination and the fact that the bulk of the radioactivity was in the surface inch or less
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In September 1959, film badges sealed against moisture were exposed at Rongelap and Kabelle islets to measure gamma doses in different areas. The badges were provided and set out by Radiation Safety personnel at the Pacific Proving Ground. The limit of detection was an accumulated dose of 10 mr. Three badges were placed at each location, one suspended by strings three feet above the ground and away from tree trunks, one three feet above the ground attached to a tree, and one on the ground. Gamma dose rates measured with a survey that the accumulated dose in in excess of 10 mr, but less meter at each location indicated 69 out of 116 film badges would be than 20 mr. The results were, however, negative for all badges. me discrepancy between the doses calculated from the survey meter measurements and those obtainedwith film badges may be explained by differences in sensitivityof the two methods to the gamma energies present in the field. Calibration was based on a radium standard rather than on actual fallout material. This discrepancy does not invalidate the decline curves in Pigs. 2 and 3 since the theoret&al curve (solid line) is based on measurements with a survey meter similar to those used for the various measurements made. However, the discrepancy does point out that while relative levels of activity can be determined accurately by any one type Of measurement, absolute values depend on calibration with
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radioactive sources having the same range and proportion of energies as the fallout material. Decline and fallout composition Xt has turned out in practice at Rongelap Atoll that when a large number of survey meter readings are taken and these are averaged, a pattern of decline ofgamm-dose rates consistent witi the theoretical decay for mixed fission products emerges. This is true even though the theoretical curve is based on the decay of mixed fission products from U235 distributed uniformly over an infinite plane and disregards differences in both the composition and distribution of fallout radionuclides in the actual field situation. The fallout at Rongelap consisted of mixed fission products and neutron-induced radionuclides from a themnuclear device. The induced activities contributing to the gamma activity are of shorter half life than the long-lived fission prothe early decline in gamma dose rates at more rapid than the theoretical decay of have been expected that Rongelap would have been mixed fission products alone. A13 the art of producing thermonuclear devices progresses the fission yield per kiloton will decrease. There will be a higher proportion of induced radionuclides to fission products
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and the decline of gamma dose rates will be more rapid. Therefore, in the future, long-range predictions of residual gadose rates :basedon the Rongelap experience would be likely to yield higher values than would actually occur. Fractionation of fallout Xn addition to the differences in composition of fallout from different devices and variations in measurements there is fractionationof the radionuclides, a change in species compositim with time or distance from origin. The various factors involved in fractionation are discussed in detail in the Congressional Hearings, 1959(5) and with specific reference to the March 1, 1954 explosion in "The Effects of Nuclear Weapons," 1962 (4). Reduction ofgamma-dose rate levels due to redistribution of falloutpossibly occurred during the first storm after fallout (Dunning,1957), but thereafter redistribution had very little effect on the gamma dose rates during the first four years after fallout. The exception, of course, is tha relatively rapid decline of radioactivity in the intertidal zone. Such rapid decline would also Le anticipated in areas in which there is heavy erosion. An example is the man-made erosion by bulldozers in the village area at Rongelap. The reduction of gamma-dose rates following the storm could have been due to the washing of fallout material
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from the leaves of the vegetation and perhaps also to some shieldingeffect by additional moisture in the soil. It was certainly not due to rapid vertical movement of material in the soil. Analysis of soil leachates and soil cores shows that vertical movement of radionuclides in atoll soils is very slow. Far example, cores taken in immature soils in 1963 still contained 90 per cent of the activity in the top.centimeter. However, the reduction of gamma-dose rates to approximately half the predicted levels in 1959-63 probably reflects the soils while other and Sb125 are very slowly leached in the atoll the gamma-dose rate values at Rongelap islet in 1959-63 fall on the theoretical curve, it appears that the levels due to the 1954 fallout have fallen below values predicted by the theoretical curve here also. Since the theoretical curve had reached background levels by 1959 it would be expected that the sum of gamma-dose rates due to the fallout and due to bdcgrourd would be approximately twice background. The Rongelap experience has shown that the decline of gamma dose rates can be approximated from the decay durve for
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U235 fission products in a .localor intermediate fallout situation. As instrumentation, techniques of calibration and the predictability of the radionuclide spectrum from nuclear devices continue to improve, so will the usefulness of gamma-dose rate measurements for predicting the decline of gamma-dose rates. Practical@ speaking,the reliability of such measurements will depend upon the experience and judgement of the individuals making the m2asurement8, the variety of environmental situations encountered and the time available for making such measurements. Their reliability is further substantiated by the fact that the levels of specific radionuclides in the various land organisms at different islands were roughly correlated with the gamma dose rates. Errors in predicted levels will tend to be conservative, i.e., It would be useful in any future operations to have available known mixtures of radionuclides simulating the fallout radfonuclides for a particular device, or better, a sample of the raw Fallout material collected at each site to be studied. This mixture could then be used to calibrate instruments, film bat3gesand chemical dosimeters as time went on and as the spectrum of gamma-energies changed. Comparison of the decay of
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gamna-dose rates from the mixture, with decline of gamma-dose rates in the field, would give a more accurate indication of overall effect of the redistribution of radionuclides on gamma dose rates.
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GAMMA DOSE RATES AT THREE FEET ABOVE GROUNI 0 voluss in mr/hr on D+!$ yrr
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Gamma Dose Rates Operation Operation on Rongelap Island 0 University of Washington radiac at 3 feet above an infinite plane (Miller and Days after March I,1954 and March1 of each year indicated
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Gamma Dose Rates on products as measured by the feet above an infinite plane (Nlil ler and Loeb, 19581 Days of ter March 1.1954 and March 1 of each year indicated
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E.E. Beld, Qualitative Distribution of Radionuclides at Rongelap Atoll,, In Radioecology, Schultz and Klement (Editors), Reinhold Pub. .Corp. and the American Institute of Biological Sciences, New York (1963). G.M. Dunning (Editor), Radioactive Contamination of Certain Areas in the Pacific Ocean from Nuclear Tests. U.S. Atomic Rate of Fission Products Ionization Rate and Photon Pulse from Slow Neutron Fission of U 235 . Atomic Energy Commission (1962) (See Fallout from Nuclear Weapons Tests, Bearings Before the Special Subcommittee on Radiation of the Joint Cammittee on Session, U.S. Government Printing Office (1959). (See Studies of Ion and Moisture Movement in Glacial Till and Coral Atoll Soils. Soil sci. Sot. aLAmer.--- Proc. 25, 4(1961).
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Autoradiography of Sectioned Soil Cores. Proceedings of the Symposium on Radioisotope Sample Measurement Techniques in Medicine and Biology, I.A.E.A. (1965). (Xn Press)