FISSION PRODUCTS OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
429
The height of the tropopause over the Washington area is usually low
enough to permit sampling of the lower stratosphere aiso with this
aircraft.
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES
The increase in the '“C content of the atmosphere from nuclear
tests has made this nuclide an important atmospheric tracer. In an at-
tempt to measure the level of '“C produced during nuclear tests in the
atmosphere, a stainless-steel sampler was deSigned which exposes a
maximum surface area of Ascarite (sodium hydroxide on asbestos) to
the airstream.
The
sampler
(see
Fig.1)
was
machined to fit the celestial-
navigation-sextant mount of the aircraft. The sampler was designed to
withstand speeds approaching Mach 1 and to penetrate above the bound-
ary layer of the aircraft.
ees
WIRE SCREEN
SCREENED FRONT
AND REAR FACES
ASCARITE
WIRE SCREEN
p——— SUCTION SLOTS
FUSELAGE
SEXTANT MOUNT
Fig. 1—Stainless-steel air sampler inserted into the sextant mount of
au, S, Navy TA-3B twin-jet trainer.