Project 57 Air Monitoring Report: January 1 through December 31, 2015
- Desert Research Inst. (DRI), Las Vegas, NV (United States)
On April 24, 1957, the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC, now the Department of Energy [DOE]) conducted the Project 57 safety experiment in western Emigrant Valley north east of the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS, formerly the Nevada Test Site) on lands withdrawn by the Department of Defense (DOD) for the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). The test was undertaken to develop (1) a means of estimating plutonium distribution resulting from a non-nuclear detonation; (2) biomedical evaluation techniques for use in plutonium-laden environments; (3) methods of surface decontamination; and (4) instruments and field procedures for prompt estimation of alpha contamination (Shreve, 1958). Although the test did not result in the fission of nuclear materials, it did disseminate plutonium across the land surface. Following the experiment, the AEC fenced the contaminated area and returned control of the surrounding land to the DOD. Various radiological surveys were performed in the area and in 2007, the DOE expanded the demarked Contamination Area by posting signs 200 to 400 feet (60 to 120 meters) outside of the original fence.
- Research Organization:
- Desert Research Inst. (DRI), Reno, NV (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- NA0000939
- OSTI ID:
- 1343749
- Report Number(s):
- 45-272; DOE/NV/0000939-38
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Project 57 Air Monitoring Report: October 1, 2013, through December 31, 2014
Project 57 Air Monitoring Report: January 1 through December 31, 2017
Related Subjects
On April 24
1957
the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC
now the Department of Energy [DOE]) conducted the Project 57 safety experiment in western Emigrant Valley north east of the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS
formerly the Nevada Test Site) on lands withdrawn by the Department of Defense (DOD) for the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). The test was undertaken to develop (1) a means of estimating plutonium distribution resulting from a non-nuclear detonation
(2) biomedical evaluation techniques for use in plutonium-laden environments
(3) methods of surface decontamination
and (4) instruments and field procedures for prompt estimation of alpha contamination (Shreve
1958). Although the test did not result in the fission of nuclear materials
it did disseminate plutonium across the land surface. Following the experiment
the AEC fenced the contaminated area and returned control of the surrounding land to the DOD. Various radiological surveys were performed in the area and in 2007
the DOE expanded the demarked Contamination Area by posting signs 200 to 400 feet (60 to 120 meters) outside of the original fence.