METHODS USED TO MEASURE THE TOTAL BETA ACTIVITY OF NEW ZEALAND RAIN, AND TO IDENTIFY THE ACTIVITY WITH A NUCLEAR TEST SERIES

Technical Report · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1960

OSTI ID:4077352

McNaughton, G S

It was decided in late 1956 to measure the deposition of radioactive fall-out in New Zealand. Monthly rainfall samples were collected in stainless- steel pots at different places and returned to the processing laboratory. The pots were scrubbed with nitric acid and the rain water and washings evaporated to dryness in platinum vessels. The solid residues were mounted on celluloid planchettes and the total beta activity measured with an end window counter. By comparing the decay rate of each sample with that of the slow neutron fission products of U/sup 235/, an estimate was made of when the nuclear explosion occurred which gave rise to the fission products of the sample. (auth)

• Research Organization: New Zealand. Dept. of Scientific and Industrial Research. Div. of Nuclear Sciences, Lower Hutt
• NSA Number: NSA-15-013157
• OSTI ID: 4077352
• Report Number(s): NP-9893; NSR-11
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AGE ESTIMATION
BETA DECAY
EVAPORATION
FALLOUT
FISSION PRODUCTS
GEOLOGY, MINERALOGY, AND METEOROLOGY
MEASURED VALUES
NITRIC ACID
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
RADIOACTIVITY
RAIN
RESIDUES
SAMPLING
SOLUTIONS
STANDARDS
URANIUM 235