measured in kilo electron volts, or kev.
On Rongelap there were found three
major “energy regions," of 100, 700, and 1500 kev.
fallout on the ground
That is, within the
there were particles which were being emitted
in these
three general regions (levels) of strength.
Fallout Samples
A third source of information upon which would be based whole-body doses,
was actual fallout material.
By studying the radioactive calcium oxide
(incinerated coral) scientists determined the mixture of different radioactive
elements and their energies.
doses calculated
However, it is interesting to note that the
for all the exposed persons,
according to the 1956 report by
the AEC, "came from fallout samples taken soon after the detonation at points
some distance from the contaminated atolls.
(p.6)
Why the samples were not
collected from the islands on which the people were exposed was not explained.
One of the important factors in calculating che amount of radiation
exposure is
the
length of
could be estimated was
time of
the fallout
itself.
from the reading on Rongerik,
The only way
this
and personal eyewitness
estimates of time.
Based on the early and
Later readings at Rongerik,
it appeared
period of Fallout was about 16 hours, or, a long fallout.
information,
the
However, other
including reports of persons who saw the fallout,
it was shorter than 16 hours and that it ended early.
that
indicated that
A long Fallout also
conflicted with readings taken later.
Finally,
or net the fallout was long, or short,
the result would be nearly the same,
since
in a short
length of
time as
fallout,
the heavier material
it would during a
would descend during the same
tong fallout.
95
0362
it was concluded that whether
{n other words,
the heaviest