Radioisotope fractionation and particle-size characteristics of a low-yield surface nuclear detonation

Technical Report · Wed May 05 04:00:00 EDT 1965

OSTI ID:5420519

Russell, I J

Aircraft-sampling penetrations of a low-yield nuclear cloud from a land-surface burst in Nevada were made at four altitudes, from 20 to 54 minutes after detonation. Samples from each of the four levels were radiochemically analyzed for 15 fission-product isotopes. Other samples from each level were fractionated into seven particle-size groups by settling in benzene. The individual-size fractions were analyzed radiochemically and by gamma spectrometry. Particle-size distributions and specific activities were measured in the untreated and artificially fractionated specimens of debris. Fallout samples were collected in trays along the fallout hot-line. The fallout samples were radiochemically and gamma spectrometrically analyzed. The importance of synthesizing data from cloud and surface sampling-analysis programs is stressed. Isotopic fractionation is used as a tool in arriving at a partitioning between prompt and more remote fallout.

• Research Organization: Air Force Weapons Lab., Kirtland AFB, NM (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5420519
• Report Number(s): AD-360456/8/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450202* -- Explosions & Explosives-- Nuclear-- Weaponry-- (-1989)
AERIAL MONITORING
ATMOSPHERIC EXPLOSIONS
CHEMISTRY
CLOUDS
EXPLOSIONS
FALLOUT
FISSION PRODUCTS
ISOTOPES
MATERIALS
MONITORING
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
PARTICLE SIZE
RADIOACTIVE CLOUDS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOCHEMISTRY
SAMPLING
SIZE