Proposal for the Assessment of Environmental Contamination Emitted by Nuclear Propulsion Devices (Kiwi a)

Page 2

Since 1*'7 the Ehvironmenta'l Radiation Division of the Department ma Laboratories of Nuclear Wdicine end Radiation Biology has been engaged i n studies related to the assessment of environmental contamination due to fallout of nuclear debris frm &torntione of various nuclear test devices, Considerable data have been obtained and improved techniques have been developed for the assessment of contaminated environments. evaluation has been in progress for more than five years, These efforts have generally been concerned with the asseement of the factors which determine the n a t u r e of fellout and the assessment of biological avciihbility and cycling of nuclear hetooationderived fission products i n contmfnated ecvlrorments a6 relatea to the contamination level, the physical, chemical, wd; radiochemical aature of the fallout material and the characteristics of the env-iroment itselfo The opportunfty will ex let short1j .to cmpare the effiueriks of nuclear paver sou1"cc~ (various modified reactare) to fallout derived fran nuclear detonations previously studled in the environs of N S e These cornprisms msy be made, perticu!arLy vith respect to the internal and external exposures of certa3.n biological system as influenced by tbe potentla1 differences in pwslcal, chemical and radiological characteristics of the several dii'fercnt types of contamination.

Page 3

This proposed program is based 011 the 2oll M ng infomation o bh bed frm various personnel from t h e Los Alarooa Scientific Laboratory and from Ebergy Conn?lission Branch Office, Las Vegas, Nevada. lo The height of exhausted wses and partdcuLste debris m a y vary from 100 to a possible 3,000 feet. 2. The frequency and amplitude of 'lo@pingc of the exhausted gases and debria is cot predictable as the 'cluud' noyes with the prevailing w t n d s . The degree of diffusicm, duration an8 persistence of radioactive30 debris in certain areas w i l l determine the f'requency of 'hot pOCket6' in and along valleys, caayans, or washes i n the direction of cloud drifto This phena;nenan w-lll. probably be dependent an particuhte matter of less than five microns, h . At present there are two opinions as to what quantity of fission of thls amount 50 per cent will be s seo us initially, 50 Radioiodine is estinated to be the principal fission product emitted, Its chemieab and shysicah properties are uncertaino 6 . Eight excursions w e planned, each at an increased power levelo It i e estimated tbe first three excursions will not emit measurable qwatities of radioactive debris beyond the first 2,000 feet. 7. There exists a minbal pos sfb elit y t bt the 'reactor' may rupture on ally power run. 8- Only physical docmenttary studies sire planned by M L and w i l b be

Page 4

At the request of the Divisicm of Biology a d Me&cine, AXC, the following proposal is submitted for ConsPderation (reference: Letter Ross t o Dunham and conference at UCLA - Corsbie, Dunning, HarPis, and Ross, Dec. 4, 1958, Tw;s Ref. AECv982, h t e d Dec. 30, 1958). 1. Extension OS the delination and characterization of faUout fran the effluent of Q nuclear power source ( K i t a i A) with respect to particle oize, and physical, chmlcsl, and radiation properties in relation to 2 0 Detembation of the biological availability, accuuulation and persistence of radioactive mterials that m y be present i n the c:ffluent of K t w i A using nerti*ie rodents and jack rabbits as indicatore. A detailed biophysical snalysis of the affluent from Kiwi A should 1, The delineation of contenimted areas as is practical by use of the granular fallout coUector 2. Dc~erninalAonof the, beta and g.annna energy spectra a d the radiological &cay prope??tics of collected fallout debris of specific 3 0 Determination of the s slu bil ft y characteristics of faUcmt debris relative t o particle sizeo radiochemical analysis of collected fallout debris. 5 . Measurement of aerosol cacceotratians of fallout debris beyond 6,000 fi i3au the test cell in ecc,&&’trlished biological collecting areaso

Page 5

6 , Determination of the biological accumuhtion with special @mphsSiS ~ r r n 9 5 ~sr89 andon the identification of certain fission proaucts (113, Sr9O, e t c ) which m y contribute to the total internsl irradiation of the native rodents and Jack rabbits. 70 Detemination of the influence of 'excursion' ch~cracteristicssuch a8 power level of operation and degree of eros%cm of the urarrim.=graphite plates on the! biological fate and persistence of radioactive debris at varying dls.l-nsces along the residual patterne coUectors to be maintained by the LASL group. 2, A minimum of six biological reference stations will. be established before the first scheduled excursfon In the northerly direction frm the be based on [a) the data obtained by the U, S, hleologfcal ra ah tion slsrveys of AUg,uGtb September, and novenber, 1958, a d (b) the predominant wbd directions durlzq the secund quarter of the y m r in the Jackass Flats, The locations of these stations will Et is intended that frm each reference station the following s o i l profiles eoUected 8.L increments of o m Inch to a depth of six inches below the surfaec, b e Three to five samples of the predaafnant uege'catioa i n each =eao

Page 7

It is estimated for plaming purposes that only 5 t o 20 per cent of the total nmber of pre=-loeated gJcrmu3sr collectors will be sufficiently cmtminated by fallout to do the studies outlined above. Tentative acheme:

Page 8

It f~ presently est3m.ted that a ninimurn of two personnel to a mxitntm of seven personue1wil.I be required at Jackass Flats durlng two periods, Feb. 5 to Mar. 2 a d Apr. 6 to Aug, 1, if m e excuraim every two weeks is executed, This schedule is tentative and serves onLy for minimum w i l l cover =cursions 2, 3 a L, and perb.sps 5 with no more Rmilnb the later period it is planned that u d y two personnel