CHEMICAL DOSIMETRY OF PROMPT AND RESIDUAL RADIATIONS FROM NUCLEAR DETONATIONS
Chemical dosimetry studies were made to estimate human exposures to prompt and residual radiations from nuclear detonations. They included measurements of: (1) gamma radiation from fall-out at on-site and off-site areas; (2) air-dose and depth-dose distribution determinations in human phantoms placed at positions calculated to receive prompt neutron and gamma -radiation exposures in the dose range of medical interest (0 to 1000 rads); and (3) estimates of gamma and mixed neutron plus gamma radiation exposures that might aid in the evaluation of Japanese who survived prompt- gamma exposures at Nagasaki as compared with neutron plus gamma exposures at Hiroshima. The feasibility of using direct-reading chemical dosimeters for estimating gamma -ray exposures from nuclear fall-out and from prompt bomb gamma radiations was demonstrated. The responses of singlephase dosimeters to gamma rays plus neutrons provided a useful index of the total exposure because they registered the gamma component accurately and also reflected the amount of associated slow- and fast-neutron radiations with sufficient accuracy (low by 10 to 25 per cent) to aid in the medical evaluation and initial segregation of radiation casualties. The present estimates regarding human median lethal (LD/sub 50/ doses of whole-body gamma radiation, namely, about 350 r for multidirectional exposures from fall-out and about 450 r for unidirectional prompt- gamma exposures, are in accord with each other on the basis of depth-doss distribution results and integral-dose calculations. On the same basis, the LD/sub 50/ dose for a mixed neutron- gamma ray exposure in equal amounts should be about 450 rads or less, depending on the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) values used for neutrons. Further biological investigations are needed in large animals to obtain RBE values for neutron exposures at various energy levels. Dosimeters suitable in respect to size, stability features, and radiation characteristics need to be developed to obtain further information on the distribution of mixed radiations in tissue- equivalent phantoms and in large animals. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- California. Univ., Los Angeles
- NSA Number:
- NSA-15-013199
- OSTI ID:
- 4077067
- Report Number(s):
- WT-1493
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Project 37.5 of OPERATION PLUMBBOB. Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-61
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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BIOLOGY
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CHEMICAL RADIATION DETECTORS
CONFIGURATION
DISTRIBUTION
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EFFICIENCY
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RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION INJURIES
RADIATIONS
RBE
STABILITY
TISSUES
USES