EXTERNAL DOSE ESTIMATES FOR FUTURE
‘
BIKINI ATOLL INHABITANTS
'
Abstract
To evaluate the potential
These data, in conjunction with
radiation doses that may be received
population statistics and expected
by the returning Bikinians, we sur-
life styles, allowed us to estimate
veyed the residual radioactivity on
the potential external gamma-ray
Bikini and Eneu Islands in June of
doses associated with proposed housing
1975.
locations along the lagoon road and
An integral part of the survey
included measurements of gamma-ray
within the interior portions of
exposure rates which are used to
Bikini Island as well as along the
estimate external gamma-ray doses.
lagoon side of Eneu Island.
The survey showed that on Bikini
expected, living on Eneu Island
Island the rates are highly variable:
results in the lowest doses:
values near the shores are generally
As
0.12
" rem during the first year and 2.9 rem
of the order of 10 to 20 uR/h, while
during 30 years.
those within the interior average
values, 0.28 rem during the first
about 40 uR/h with a range of roughly
year and 5.9 rem over 30 years,
30° to 100 UR/h.
may potentially be received by
Eneu Island, how-
ever, is characterized by more or
The highest
inhabitants living within the
less uniformly distributed gamma
interior of Bikini Island. Other
radiation levels of less than 10 UR/h
options under consideration pro-
over the entire island.
duce intermediate values.
Introduction
Bikini Atoll was one of the
coral reef surrounding a lagoon
U.S. nuclear weapons testing ‘sites
with major and minor axes having
in the Pacific.
dimensions of 35 and 27 km, respec-
It is situated
in the northern part of Micronesia
tively (Fig. 1).
The total land
in the Central Pacific Ocean
area is about 6 km’, and the land
about 3600 km southwest of Honolulu.
height generally averages 3 to5m
The atoll consists of a number
above mean sea level.
of small islands on an elliptical
vary in size from small sandbars of
The islands