An analysis of the radioactive fallout over North America in late September 1961

Journal Article · Mon Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 1963 · Journal of Geophysical Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JZ068i014p04195· OSTI ID:4691801

Penn, Samuel; Maetell, E. A.

Unusually intense radioactive fallout of short-lived fission products was experienced in wideapread areas of the United States and Canada during the preiod September 16 through 22, 1961. The available evidence indicates two radioactive fallout sources in the troposhere: a concentrated debris layer of Soviet test origin observed over Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada, on September 14-15 and a radioactive cloud source from the vented Nevada underground shot of September 15. The convergence of atmospheric trajectories for these two sources on September 17 and 18 limits the discrimination of the fallout origin at some locations. However, the intense fallout over southeastern and central United States on September 18 and thereafter conforms to the pattern and timing for the September 15 Nevada cloud source trajectories.

• Research Organization: Air Force Cambridge Research Labs., Bedford, Mass.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-17-030718
• OSTI ID: 4691801
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 68; ISSN 0148-0227
• Publisher: American Geophysical Union
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AEROSOLS
ATMOSPHERE
CANADA
FALLOUT
FISSION PRODUCTS
GEOLOGY, MINERALOGY, AND METEOROLOGY
LAYERS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS
USA