2.2.2 Kwajalein Atoll
On Kwajalein Atoll, measurable fallout occurred after Shots BRAVO, ROMEO,
and YANKEE, while Shots KOON, UNION, and NECTAR produced no fallout.
As on
Enewetak, al! fallout was secondary in nature and low in intensity.
The Naval Station at
Kwajalein provided basing support to Patrol Squadron
TWENTY-NINE (VP-29) during Operation CASTLE (Reference 15).
This squadron
supported the AEC's worldwide fallout monitoring program with aerial radiation survey
flights following each of the CASTLE events.
The results of these survey flights,
which included Kwajalein, were converted to ground intensities using experimentally-
determined air-ground correction factors (Reference 10).
ground survey data for Kwajalein were recorded.
of intensity data used for dose reconstructions.
In some instances, actual
These comprise the primary source
In addition, a few intensity readings
taken at the Naval Station were also recorded in Reference 10. The intensity data are
summarized below.
Date (Time)
Intensity (mR/hr)
Notes
2 Mar (1800)
0.6
actual ground survey reading
19 Mar (1200)
30 Mar (1545)
0.4
0.05
based on aerial survey reading
actual ground survey reading
4 Mar (1200)
0.5
31 Mar (1545)
1.0-3.0
3 Apr (1354)
May
May
May
May
(1200)
(1455)
(1645)
(1800)
8 May (1335)
L5 May (1335)
16 May (1236)
based on aerial survey reading
0.53
12 Apr (1200)
1
6
6
7
on beaches(ground)
1.4
8 Apr (1453)
12 Apr (1452)
21 Apr (1435)
actual ground survey reading
based on aerial survey reading
1.5
-
annoted in Ref. 2 as probably
erroneously high (ground)
based on aerial survey reading
probably not actually zero (aerial)
0.4
0
0.1
0.4
1.0
4.5
actual ground survey reading
based on aerial survey reading
maximum ground survey intensity
highly questionable ground
intensity reading
based on aerial survey reading
based on aerial! survey reading
0.2
0.1
0.08
based on aerial survey reading
The onset of fallout following Shot BRAVO did not occur until approximately
0800 hours on 2 March.
By 1800 hours, ground surveys on Kwajalein recorded average
40