of
planning,
marine
an
samples
additional
for
a
program was. included
radiological
dose
to
assessment
obtain
for
terrestrial
current
or
and
potential
inhabitants of the atolls.
Therefore
the
objectives
of
the
Northern
Marshall
Islands
survey
and
assessment program were as follows.
* Obtain aerial photos and aerial radiological maps of the Northern
Marshall Islands atolls and islands.
* Obtain samples of soil, water, vegetation, food crops, animals,
marine life, lagoon water, and lagoon sediments.
* Process, analyze, and determine the radionuclide concentration of the
collected environmental samples.
* Prepare reports describing the estimated doses for alternate living
patterns at the atolls and islands.
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) was responsible for the
technical
direction of
the
survey,
work, and publishing of results.
DOE
was
responsible
interaction
with
for
other
subsequent
sample
processing,
analytical
The Nevada Operations Office (NVOO) of the
program
United
management
States
in
agencies
the
planning
phases
and
departments
and_
and
the
government and people of the Marshall Islands.
The
external
gamma
aerial
survey
was
conducted
from
the
major
support
vessel, the U.S.N.S. Wheeling, by EG&G with the support of the naval helicopter
group HC-1
Detachment
California.
3
from the
North
Island
Naval
Air
Station,
San
Diego,
TMe EG&G detector and data analysis systems were mounted on one
of two helicopters
(Sikorski H-3) carried by the Wheeling and
grid lines over the islands at each atoll.
flown on 46-m
A complete report of the external
gamma measurement program and the results is available as part of the Northern
Marshall Islands survey assessment.
The survey was conducted in three legs of about 20-d each.
The sequence
of atolls and islands visited during each leg is shown in Fig. 1 and listed in
Table 1.
The first leg of the survey included Rongelap,
Rongerik,
and
Wotho Atolls
Ailinginae Atolls.
and
Jemo
and
Mejit
The
second
Islands.
Taka,
Utirik,
leg included Likiep,
On
the
concluding
Bikar,
Ailuk,
third
and
leg
we
surveyed Ujelang and Bikini Atolls and made a limited stop at Enewetak Atoll.
The terrestrial and marine programs were conducted with small boats and
the helicopters using the Wheeling as an operation base.
The time available
for the terrestrial and marine surveys was dictated primarily by the length of