nts
“s.
a .
earuer generations (7/). An estimate has been
made by some that about 80,000 mutations may
be present among the populace in the United
States living 100 years from now owing to radiation exposure from all nuclear tests to date.
The average radiation exposure to people in the
Uaited States from all nuclear detonations to date
ditions in the atmosphere were mos favorable for
this effect. However, experiments conducted by Air
Force Cambridge Research Center on nucleating
(cloud seeding) properties of Nevada dust and ion-
resule of external radiation. Additional exposure of
izing properties of radioactive fallout and studies
made by the U.S. Weather Bureau on possible
effects of nuclear detonations on electric properties
of the air, solar radiation, tornadoes, and precipitation show the following (22).
to the approximately 7 roentgens that inay be ex-
ties: that is, ineffective as a cloud-seeding agent.
2} The amountof ionization produced by radio-
has been about 1/10 roentgen (9). (This is the
the gonads to anv radioactive faliout taken into the
body would be insignificant.) This is in addition
pected from natural sources over a reproductive
lifetime—that is, an increase of 1/70 of the normal
amount of radiation. If 80,000 mutations will be
present in the population of the United States 100
vears from now as a result of radiation exposure
from all nuclear testa, then by the same calculatons about 120 million (1500 times as many) addinonal mutations may be produced by natural
causes during the same 100 years, assuming no increase im population over the 1955 census (9).
If it @ assumed thar future nuclear tests would
result in an annual fallout equal to the highest
amount expernenced heretofore in any one year,
then the average radiation exposure to people in
the United States would be about 1/7 of that from
natural causes and might increase the normal rate
of mutations by 1.4 to 2.8 percone. If it is assumed
thar an average of two additional mutations are
produced by natural causes among every five indi-
viduals, the new mutation rate might be 2.05 to
2.05 per five persons (9).
Tt = generally beid that an increase im mutation
rate = undemrable. These data and estimates give
some perspective concerning the degree of rk
involved.
Weather
There has been speculation on the part of some
regarding tbe Pombie rsiatonship between text
nuclear detonations and the weather. Some of the
effects suggested have been:
i) the particles of
dust being thrown up bv the detonabon acting im
2 manner amibr to siver iodide crystals used in
cloud sreding to initiate precipitation: ‘ii) the
change in the electric properties of the atmosphere
owing to ionization produced bv the radioactive
particles:
in) the reduction of direct solar energy
recezved on earth owing to the dust thrown into the
ai bv the detonanon: ‘iv) the increase im number
of tornadoes; and ‘v\ the occurrence of drouth in
the southwestern United States.
Te is true that, following large nuclear detonstions, minor weather changes, such as local cloud
formation, sometimes with local precipitation, have
been noted in the Pacific where the momture conDecember 1955
{) Nevada dust has very poor nucleating proper-
active material is insignificant in affecting general
atmospheric conditions.
3) Whereas, even relatively minor volcanoes
may put enough dust into the atmosphere to de-
crease measurably the amountof direct solar radiation at the observation point established, no such
decrease has been obeerved from any nuclear
detonation.
4) Much of the increase in tornado reports during the past 5 years can be traced directly to the
improved methods of reporting tornadoes that nor-
mally occur.
53) The present drouth in New Mexico began
before the nuclear tests were started in Nevada.
Similar drouths are on record for the 1930's and
for earlier dates.
Thus the data and their evaluation to date preseat no evidence that nuclear detonations affect the
weather, except as noted here for large detonations
in the Pacific.
Nieric Acid Formation
At the me of a nuclear detonation, a minute
fraction of the energy released causes nitrogen and
oxygen of the ais to combine, produ.ing nitrogen
dioside, which m turn becomes nitric acid by unit-
ing with water vapor. This acid may be brought
to the earth bv rainfall The amount of nitrogen
dioxide that pezusts following a nuclear detonation
less than what might b- predicted on the basis
of energy consiJc:.:.ons alone, because the remperature of the fireball remains high for a rele
tively ‘ong period of time as compared with lightning, thus allowing some of the nitrogen and
oxygen to dimociate /).
It has been speculated by some that the amount
of nitric acid formed from the detonation of a highyield nuclear weapon equivalent to millions of tons
of TNT would be great enough to produce an
acidity of pH 5 in rainfall. (pH is the measure of
acidity. \ pH of 7 represents neutrality; the lower
4.
the number, the greater the acidity.) However,
nitric oxides are added normally to the air by decomposition of organic matter in the earth and to a
e.e &