AIRCRAFT CONTAMINATION FROM RESIDUAL STRATOSPHERIC NUCLEAR WEAPON DEBRIS

Technical Report · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1959

OSTI ID:4232463

Gaske, M C; Spore, Jr, R R; Dick, J L

When nuclear weapons of relatively large yields are detocated, radloactive debris is carried high into the atmosphere. Some of this material is trapped in the stratospheric region forming a reservoir of fission fragment debris. This material diffuses back to the surface of the earth with a half fall- cut time on the order of years. As a result of the presence of this contamination, nearly all operational aircraft have some radioactivity. Those which fly above the tropopause collect considerably more contamination than those which operate at a lower altitude. Data have been collected and are presented to show the nature and amount of the radioactive contamination on several representative groups of Air Force aircraft. For aircraft which generally operate below the tropopause, the highest measured external radiation levels rarely exceed 0.05 mrad/hr. Maximum external radiation levels detected on high performance aircraft such as the F-102 and B-52 were on the onder of 0.1 mrad/hr on isolated spots. There was no detectable airborne contamication in the cockpits or in the immediate vicinity of any of the aircraft. It is concluded that there is essentially no measurable radiation exposure to either flight or aircraft-maintenance personnel resulting from residual radioactive bomb debris in the atmosphere, and neither radiation monitoring nor decontamination of aircraft is warranted if the aircraft have not penetrated fresh nuclear clouds. (auth)

• Research Organization: Air Force Special Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB, N. Mex.
• NSA Number: NSA-14-002286
• OSTI ID: 4232463
• Report Number(s): AFSWC-TN-59-5
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AIRCRAFT
ATMOSPHERE
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
CONTAMINATION
FALLOUT
FISSION PRODUCTS
LEVELS
MONITORING
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
PERSONNEL
RADIATION DOSES
RADIOACTIVITY
SAFETY
STRATOSPHERE