RADIOCHEMICAL ANALYSES OF FISSION DEBRIS IN THE AIR ALONG THE 80th MERIDIAN, WEST

Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1960 · J. Geophys. Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JZ065i006p01711· OSTI ID:4152301

Lockhart, Jr, L B; Baus, R A; Patterson, Jr, R L; Saunders, Jr, A W

A number of radioisotopes formed in high yield by nuclear explosions were determined quantitatively in the gross-fission-product conglomerate collected by air filters at sites along the 8Oth meridian during the IGY. Radiochemical analyses show that debris from two (or more) nuclear tests of the U. S. Hardtack Series in the Pacific crossed the equator. Save for the period of gross contamination ia the troposphere by Hardtack debris, the average age of the fission-product conglomerate in the air was consistently older in the southern than in the northern hemisphere. The Sr/sup 90/ content of the air has shown a general pattern of maxima in the region between 20 deg and 40 deg N and S latitudes and a minimum in the equatorial region. During early 1958 the maximum in the north averaged about 7 times that in the south. The rapid spread of radioactivity from the Hardtack tests (identified by the presence of W/sup 185/) and from Soviet nuclear tests emphasizes the fact that debris is not restricted to a narrow zone near the latitude of introduction. (auth)

• Research Organization: U.S. Naval Research Lab., Washington, D.C.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-14-016897
• OSTI ID: 4152301
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Research, Journal Name: J. Geophys. Research Vol. Vol: 65
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AGE ESTIMATION
AIR
ATMOSPHERE
CONTAMINATION
DISTRIBUTION
FALLOUT
FILTERS
FISSION PRODUCTS
GEOLOGY, MINERALOGY, AND METEOROLOGY
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIOACTIVITY
RADIOCHEMISTRY
STRONTIUM 90
TUNGSTEN 185