PUERTO RICO NUCLEAR CENTER
OPERATED
400791
BY
R
UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO
FOR
U. S. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
CABLE ADDRESS:
NUCLEAR.
ADDRESS
11 September 1973
Center
gs
Dr. William 0.
Forster
REPLY
TO:
College Station
Mayaguez, P. R.
00708
WP a
Oceanographer, Environmental Programs
Division of Biomedical and Environmental Research
U. S. Atomic Energy Commission
Washington, D. C.
20545
Dear Bill:
Enclosed is a preliminary report on the analyses done to
date.
I told Kharkar to concentrate first on the water
and plankton samples so that we would at least have some
idea of the initial concentration
second trophic levels.
This week
americium analyses in addition to
plutonium work and we should have
on this.
factors in the first and
Kharkar is starting the
continuing with the
some results to report
Tin Mo is working with transfer coefficients of
plutonium and americium from crater sediment to sea water
and plans to start field studies on the relative rates of
uptake of the two radioelements by the local marine phytoplankton of Puerto Rico.
By coupling transfer experiments
with the survey study done at Bikini, I think we stand a
better chance of understanding the biogeochemistry of these
elements in the sea.
Roger Ray called about a week ago concerning the possibility
of our using a new ship that Los Alamos operations plans to
get for future Bikini work.
Since I am not aware of the
plans DBER has for our laboratory's continued work in the
Bikini area, I couldn't give him a firm answer on how much
ship time we would need.
The glossy print of the Palumbo which you requested is en-
closed. Since leaving San Diego last fall for Bikini, we
have had no further trouble with the propulsion equipment on
the Palumbo.
In addition, the air conditioner has been be-
having as it should.
We plan to take the Palumbo into the
Florida area for drydocking in about six weeks.
The shipyard
work in Puerto Rico is of such poor caliber that we have
given up on trying to get the work done here.
On the basis
of preliminary bids it looks as if the Gulf Coast Shipyards
can bid competitively enough that the total cost for drydocking will be about the same as if it were done in Puerto
ico.
PN.
Sc
Jiang, ka CeLtlearint Enuatiled 08875