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, 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 allowed us to estimate 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. As 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 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 ever, Eneu Island, how- is characterized by more or 0.12 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 U.S. the nuclear weapons testing sites in the Pacific. Tt is situated in the northern part of Micronesia coral reef surrounding a lagoon with major and minor axes having dimensions of 35 and 27 km, respec- in the Central Pacific Ocean tively (fig. 1). The total land . 2 area is about 6 km”, and the land about 3600 km southwest of Honolulu. height generally averages 3 The atoll consists of a number above mean sea level. of small islands on an elliptical vary in size from smal] sandbars of to 5m The islands