Results of Calculations of External Gamma
Radiation Exposure Rates from Fallout
and the Related Radionuclide Compositions
Operation Tumbler-Snapper, 1952
ABSTRACT
This report presents data on calculated gammaradiation exposure rates and
grounddeposition of related radionuclides resulting from Events that deposited detectable
radioactivity outside the Nevada Test Site complex.

INTRODUCTION
The Events which deposited detectable radioactivity outside the Nevada Test Site complex! are
listed in Table. 1.

RESULTS
Results of the calculations of relative external gamma radiation exposure rate and related
radionuclide ground deposition are given in the Appendices. These calculations are described in detail in
Ref. 2. The output of the calculation has 30 decay times, 10 from 1 to 21 h, 10 from to 300d, and 10 from 1
to 50 y. For each of these times and for zero time there are values of the external gammaradiation exposure
rate normalized to 1 mR/h, 1 m abovethe surface, 12 h after the event, the associated values of uCi/m? for

each radionuclide, and the total «Ci/m?.

The 793U, 73°U, 238U and 25%24°Pu data were omitted primarily to keep the output unclassified.

Futhermore,the natural uranium contentof the soil is about one million times that received from fallout and
at least half of the plutonium in Nevada and Utahsoils comes from worldwide fallout.?
Surface roughness effects are simulated by using Beck’s values* of (mR/h)/(uCi/m7?) for a relaxation length of 0.16 g/cm*. According to Beck, the concentration of fallout varies exponentially with soil
depth, Z, according to the relation C = C,ee. Hedefines relaxation length as 1/a.
TABLE 1.
Event |

Yield, date and placement of Events of Operation Tumbler-Snapper, 1952.
Yield (kt)

Date

Placement

Able

1

April 1

Air drop 793 ft

Baker

1

April 15

Air drop 1109 ft

Charlie

31

April 22

Air drop 3447 ft

Dog

19

May 1

Air drop 1040 ft

Easy

12

May 7

300 ft Tower

Fox

1

May 25

300 ft Tower

George

15

June 1

300 ft Tower

How

14

June 5

300 ft Tower

1

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