Bias in fallout data from nuclear surface shot SMALL BOY: an evaluation of sample perturbation by sieve sizing. Technical report

Technical Report · Mon Jun 26 00:00:00 EDT 1967

OSTI ID:6641754

Pascual, J N

Evaluation of sample bias introduced by the mechanical sieving of Small Boy fallout samples for 10 minutes revealed the following: Up to 20% of the mass and 30% of the gamma-ray activity can be lost from the large-particle (greater than 1400 microns) fraction. The pan fraction (less than 44 microns) can gain in weight by as much as 79%, and in activity by as much as 44%. The gamma-ray spectra of the fractions were not noticeably altered by the process. Examination of unbiased pan fractions (before mechanical sieving) indicated bimodality of the mass-size distribution in a sample collected 9,200 feet from ground zero, but not in a sample collected at 13,300 feet.

• Research Organization: Naval Radiological Defense Lab., San Francisco, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6641754
• Report Number(s): AD-820147; USNRDL-TR-67-88
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450200* -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Nuclear Explosions & Explosives
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ERRORS
EXPLOSIONS
FALLOUT
GAMMA RADIATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
PARTICLE SIZE
RADIATIONS
SAMPLING
SIZE