2. BACKGROUND -- THE RONGELAP EXPERIENCE Rongelap Atoll is located about 2,500 miles southwest of E Wwaii, at 12°N, 167°E (Fig. 2 #1). It comprises more than 50 low-lying i lands and islets, total area 3.07 sq. miles, which bound a lagoon of 400 $q. miles. The largest and by far the most important island, Rongelap, hasfan area of 0.3 sq. miles. The geological structure is that of a coral reef atoll resfing on a submerged volcanic mass. The islands are made of reef debris, rimarily of sand and gravel size, and reef organisms. The atoll is typical in appearance, and the islands are co rered with vegetation. However, a major factor limiting the kinds of plan fs that can be grown as staples is the long dry season. The Marshall Islands Statistical Abstract of 1986, issued by the Republic, lists the population of the atoll as totalling 235. Previously, it was 165 in 1973, 189 in 1967, 264 in 1958. In1l 54 at the time of the Bravo incident, 84 persons were evacuated. (These fluctuations reflect the need to work elsewhere.) Earlier reco ds for Japanese and German periods of control are: in 1920, 100 in 1906, 120 in 1860. 99 in 1945, 98 in However, Mr. Peter Oliver, the Republic's Special Assista Compact Affairs, has informed me that the Rongelap Distributio now makes per capita payments from its Nuclear Claims Fund to individuals. Currently, these amount to $1480 per year to tho to fallout in 1954, and $480 to others. The Council has also that 2,277 individuals qualify for the benefits of the Section Care Program as a result of their ties to Rongelap. 2.1 935, 110 for Authority 578 exposed termined 77 Health Bravo test -- 1954 The initial event occurred on March 1, 1954, when a 17-me thermonuclear device was set off at Bikini Atoll, the Bravo te device was 1000 times as powerful as the bombs that destroyed and Hiroshima; its cloud rose 25 miles above the earth, Minutes had a diameter of 70 miles. and a It had been planned that the "cloud" would be blown to th north (Fig. 2.1 #1). Unexpectedly for whatever reason (Note 3) blown to the east so that at about 5 hours after detonation fa at Rongelap Atoll, and during the ensuing 7 hours fell in such as to suggest to Rongelapese, who had never seen snow, that it snowing (Sharp & Chapman, 1957). Rather than avoiding contact ton-yield The gasaki er 10 west and it was out began uantities as children played in the powdery, finely granular fallout, and no particu ar effort was made to separate it from food or clothing. No warning was r had been issued by the military.