Document Details
Title:
RECOVERY OF THE LAND PLANTS AT ENIWETOK ATOLL FOLLOWING A NUCLEAR DETONATION
Author(s):
Subject Terms:
PLANTS; NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
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
Document Type:
REPORT
Publication Date:
1962 Dec 31
Declassification Status:
Never classified
Document Pages:
0002
Accession Number:
NV0045064
Originating Research Org.:
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, LAB. OF RADIATION BIOLOG
OpenNet Entry Date:
1994 Aug 26
OpenNet Modified Date:
2003 Sep 18
Description/Abstract:
A LONG-TERM INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED AT ENIWETOK ATOLL DURING 1954- 57 TO DETERMINE THE RATE OF RECOVERY OF LAND PLANTS DAMAGED BY THE RAD IATION, SHOCK AND HEAT BLAST OF THE NECTAR DETONATION IN 1954. AT BELL E ISLAND SEVEN PLANT SPECIES WERE TAGGED, MEASURED AND PHOTOGRAPHED BE FORE THE DETONATION. AT APPROXIMATELY MONTHLY INTERVALS AFTER THE DETO NATION FOR A PERIOD OF TEN MONTHS, AND AGAIN AFTER AN INTERVAL OF SIX MONTHS, THE PLANTS WERE OBSERVED AND PHOTOGRAPHED. THE FIRST INDICATIO N OF RECOVERY WAS OBSERVED ON THE EIGHTH DAY, AT WHICH TIME BUDS WERE NOTICEABLE ON STEMS OF SCAEVOLA AND MESSERSCHMIDIA PLANTS. IN A MONTH" S TIME, MOST OF THE PLANTS HAD FORMED NEW LEAVES AND SOME HAD PRODUCED FLOWERS AND FRUITS. IN SIX MONTHS, THE GENERAL CONDITION OF THE VEGET ATION WAS SIMILAR TO THAT WHICH EXISTED BEFORE THE DETONATION. TWO PLA NTS, GUETTARDA AND PORTULACA, WHICH WERE UNHEALTHY AT TEN MONTHS, HAD IMPROVED BY THE SIXTEENTH MONTH. PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE RECOVERY OF SOME O F THE PLANTS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT, AS WELL AS A DISCUSSION OF A GENTS OTHER THAN RADIATION WHICH HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO CAUSE SIMILAR D AMAGE TO PLANTS OF THE CORAL ATOLLS OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN.