Ba f these differences, however, is discussed om pages 9 to 21, .| peor fable I and Figure 2 the past, present, and future gross |radioactivity an the peincipal food items of Rongelap Atoll can be approximated. The method selected to indicate the error in estimating the q values in Table I ie the “coefficient of variation” which is | the ratio of the standard deviation to the mean, ‘These values, ” Gs, expresaed in percent, are given in Table II (page 6a). The “Pyange in values from 10 percent to 178 percent indicates a high sgree of variability, | | These data are closest to being points on a straight line a‘when plotted on a log-log scale using the time ofthe blast, a itarch 1, 1954, as tise of origin. From these data it appears that mixed fiasion products axe the principal eource of radioactivity in the food stuffs. Exceptions are bird thyroids, In which the redioactivity was - Practleally ail phst, ami the gastric mill in a coconut crab, for which the decay curve was nearly a straight line on a semi-~ _ log plot. For the purpose of making an approximation of the average rate of decline, the slope of a least-square line ’through the averages of the points in Figure 2 was determined 2 and found to be -1.75. | . The variation in radioactivity associated with area, in most instances, is related to fallout. Rengelap Atoll was on re cectoe ae SNaDERTIAE saeas tereEAL SHEN