Title:
REPORT TO THE TEST DIRECTOR, OPERATION UPSHOT - KNOTHOLE, NEVADA PROVING GROUNDS, MARCH - JUNE 1953, PROJECTS 23.4-23.14 AND 23.16, GENETIC EFFECTS OF FAST NEUTRONS FROM NUCLEAR DETONATIONS
Author(s):
PLOUGH, H H;
SHEPPARD, C W;
ATWOOD, K C;
ROWELL, J B;
KIRBYSMITH, J S;
SWANSON, C P;
BLAKESLEE, A F;
YOST, H T;
SPENCER, J L;
CUMMINGS, J M;
SCHWARTZ, D;
GOWEN, J W;
IVES, P T;
BAKER, W K;
MICKEY, G H;
YANDERS, A F;
WHITING, P W;
RAY, D T;
RUSSELL, W L;
OAKBERG, E F;
RUSSELL, L B;
CRONKITE, E P [* UNITED STATES NAVY, DEPARTMENT OF];
CORSBIE, R L [CIVIL EFFECTS TEST GROUP];
UNK, [* AEC-DIVISION OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE]
Subject Terms:
GENETIC EFFECTS; NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS; UPSHOT OPERATION; NEUTRONS; UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE OPERATION
Document Location:
Location - DOE/NNSA NUCLEAR TESTING ARCHIVE Address - P.O. Box 98521 City - Las Vegas State - NV Zip - 89193-8521 Phone - (702)794-5106 Fax - (702)862-4240 Email - NTA@NV.DOE.GOV
Publication Date:
1953 Mar 31
Declassification Status:
Unknown
Accession Number:
NV0006254
Document Number(s):
WT820
OpenNet Entry Date:
1994 Aug 26
OpenNet Modified Date:
2003 Sep 18
Description/Abstract:
A SERIES OF GENETICS TEST OBJECTS WERE EXPOSED TO FAST-NEUTRON IRRADIA TION AT OPERATION UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE. THE EXPOSURES WERE MADE BY PLACING THE SPECIMENS INSIDE 7-IN.-THICK LEAD HEMISPHERES THAT WERE FIRST USE D AT OPERATION GREENHOUSE. THESE OBJECTS WERE SET AT APPROPRIATE DIST ANCES FROM GROUND ZERO TO COVER THE DOSE RANGES REQUIRED. THE GENETIC S TEST MATERIALS WERE SUPPLIED BY A NUMBER OF ACTIVE INVESTIGATORS AT OAK RIDGE OR AT UNIVERSITY LABORATORIES AND WERE SENT TO MERCURY IN TH E PROPER STAGE FOR EXPOSRE SHORTLY BEFORE THE SCHEDULED DETONATIONS. AFTER EXPOSURE THE MATERIAL WAS RETURNED FOR BREEDING AND STUDY, AND T HE SUMMARIES OF THE RESULTS WERE SUPPLIED FOR THIS REPORT. PLANT MATE RIALS USED INCLUDED SPORES OF SEVERAL FUNGI, TRADESCANTIA POLLEN, AND SEEDS OF DATURA AND OF CORN. DROSOPHILA FLIES, MORMONIELLA WASPS, AND SEVERAL MOUSE STRAINS CONSTITUTED THE ANIMALS SPECIMENS USED. THE DA TA SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS: 1. THE RELATIVE BIOLOGICAL EFF ECTIVENESS (RBE) FOR GENETIC EFFECTS FROM DETONATION NEUTRONS COMPARED WITH X OR GAMMA IRRADIATION IS HIGH, OBSERVED VALUES RANGING FROM ABO UT 2 TO 15 OR MORE. 2. THE RBE FOR CHROMOSOME BREAKAGE FROM DETONATIO N NEUTRONS IS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THAT FROM CYCLOTRON NEUTRO NS; THIS CONCLUSION IS SUBJECT TO SOME UNCERTAINTIES IN DOSE DETERMIN ATION. 3. IT IS INDICATED THAT THE RBE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SIMPLE M UTATIONS BY FAST NEUTRONS COMPARED WITH X-RAYS TENDS TO BE LOW. THE V ALUES ARE HIGHER FOR GROSS CHROMOSOME ABERRATIONS. 4. THE GENETIC TES TS ARE OF SOME VALUE AS "BIOLOGICAL DOSIMETERS" SUPPLEMENTARY TO PHYSI CAL DOSIMETRY. 5. THE STUDIES CLEARLY INDICATE THAT FOR EQUAL DOSES N EUTRONS REPRESENT A GREATER POTENTIAL GENETIC HAZARD THAN OTHER FORMS OF RADIATION FROM NUCLEAR DETONATIONS.