442

DANIELSEN

BOISE

i

LANDER

DENVER

|

AMARILLO !MIDLAND

see _ 100
— 150

ALTITUDE, 1000 FT

200

300

400 =
500
600
700

800
900

op
681

576

469

363

|__—J 1000
265

Fig. 4—Vertical cross section for Apr. 19, 1963,at 00Z. Continuous
lines are © isotherms at 2°K intervals. Dashed lines are isotachs at
l0-knot intervals. Total beta activities are plotted at sampling sites in
disintegrations per minute per standard cubic foot.

161, and 180 dis/min per standard cubic foot. All these large values
were obtained where ¢, is positive. At higher values of 6, the values

increase to 498 and 620 dis/min per standard cubic foot.

In addition to the filter samples, the WB50 obtained a continuous

record of accumulated radioactivity. Also, while in flight, a meteorol-

ogist recorded the temperature, relative humidity, and wind every
10 min. These recordings are presented in Fig. 5. As the plane entered
the stratospheric air at 1920Z, the radioactivity accumulation rate in-creased. The temperature and wind traces do not show a corresponding
increase because a cumulonimbus cloud penetrating the layer forced

the plane to ascend to 27,000 ft. The initial temperature and wind
changes are therefore due to altitude changes and are not representative of horizontal flight. After 1940Z a constant altitude, 27,000 ft, was
maintained.
Note that the rapid increase in temperature, wind speed, and

accumulation rate all coincide. The changes of 14°C, 75 knots and

3500 counts/min are all dramatic. After the stratospheric layer was
passed, the temperature dropped 4°C, the wind speed dropped 15 knots

and the radioactivity accumulated remained essentially constant. On
the return flight similar changes in all three variables were recorded.

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