Reconstruction of chronic dose equivalents for Rongelap and Utirik residents: 1954 to 1980

Technical Report · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6820496· OSTI ID:6820496

Lessard, E T; Greenhouse, N A; Miltenberger, R P

From June 1946 to August 1958, the US Department of Defense and Atomic Energy Commission conducted nuclear weapons tests in the Northern Marshall Islands. BRAVO, an aboveground test in the Castle series, resulted in radioactive fallout contaminating Rongelap and Utirik Atolls. On March 3, 1954, the inhabitants of these atolls were relocated until radiation exposure rates declined to acceptable levels. Environmental and personnel radiological monitoring programs were begun in the mid 1950's by Brookhaven National Laboratory to ensure that dose equivalents received or committed remained within US Federal Radiation Council Guidelines for members of the general public. Body burden and dose equivalent histories along with activity ingestion patterns post return are presented. Dosimetric methods, results, and internal dose equivalent distributions for subgroups of the population are also described.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 6820496
• Report Number(s): BNL-51257
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510302* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- Terrestrial Ecosystems & Food Chains-- (-1987)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560151 -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Man
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BODY BURDEN
CASTLE PROJECT
DATA
DOSE COMMITMENTS
DOSE EQUIVALENTS
DOSES
DOSIMETRY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
EXPLOSIONS
FALLOUT
HUMAN POPULATIONS
INFORMATION
ISLANDS
MARSHALL ISLANDS
MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
MICRONESIA
MONITORING
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
NUMERICAL DATA
OCEANIA
POPULATIONS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION MONITORING
SURVEILLANCE
WEAPONS