Planning for a major survey effort by the Division of Biology
and Medicine began early in 1967.
The emphasis was on delineation
of the external radiation fields, particularly at locations of past
and future habitation, and on obtaining more measurements on all
islands, including the smaller islands near test locations.
Dr.
Edward Held, University of Washington Marine Radiobiologist was
appointed survey team leader.
Team membership included personnel
from AEC (BM, OS, HASL), AEC contractors, U. S. Trust Territory,
and the U. S. Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory.
Four native
workers were added to the team in Kwajalein.
The survey team spent 16 days at the atoll in April-May 1967
conducting an extensive survey of external radiation levels.
Except
for Adrikon, a very small island in the Southwest corner of the
atoll, all fourteen islands and the two complexes of islands joined
by man-made causeways were surveyed.
studies on Bikini Island.
Seven days were spent with
In addition to monitoring external radiation,
samples of food items, vegetation, and soil were collected and analyzed
for radionuclide content.
External radiation levels and the radionuclides contributing to
those levels were found to vary from island to island.
On islands
more remote from testing activities such as Eneu and Bikini, the
major contributor to the external gamma field is cesium-137.
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