LONG-RANGE FALLOUT FROM SEDAN AND SMALL BOY
minimize

been

87

redispersion by the wind of the debris which had already

collected.

Each collector was exposed for a 72~-hr sampling

period.
After postshot notification from the Nevada Test Site as to the
expected arrival of the clouds at each of the three samplinglines,
sampling was begun about 12 hr before the estimated arrival time.
These time estimates were based upon the latest meteorological and
survey data available. Figure 4 shows the Weather Bureau’s trajectory

of the Sedan cloud. There was a wind sheer of the original cloud at
10,000 and

16,800 ft;

the higher level of the cloud traveled slightly

north of the lower level and at a faster velocity. Both levels of the
cloud were intercepted by the mobile line.

For the Small Boy shot

(see Fig. 5), a wind sheer occurred at 10,000 and 16,000 ft with the
16,000-ft level traveling at a faster velocity than the 10,000-ft level.

The two levels crossed at the northern end of the mobile line although
the higher level arrived at the stations about 12 hr before the lower
level.

MEASUREMENTS
All samples collected from both shots were radioassayed on a 3by 3-in. Nal(Tl) crystal in conjunction with a 400-channel pulse-height
analyzer. The fallout collectors were scrubbed with chloroform and a
rubber squeegee to remove all debris from the collection surfaces.

The resultant mixtures were evaporated to dryness in 500-ml nickel
crucibles and ashed over a Meeker burner. Any rain or other contents
of the 5-gal drum associated with each collector was combined with the
material in the crucible. The mixture in the crucible wasfinally
evaporated to dryness and assayed on the 3- by 3-in. crystal.
The total gamma spectrum of each sample, including preshot
background samples, was obtained by these measurements. The inte-

gration of the activity beneath the spectrum after subtraction of detector background represented the total gamma activity of each sample.

Selected filter papers were dry-ashed at 440°C, refluxed in nitric and
hydrofluoric acids, and dissolved in nitric acid. Specific falloutcollector residues were fused with sodium carbonate and dissolved.
These solutions were then analyzed radiochemically for a number of
radionuclides. In the interest of brevity, only the results from the
mobile lines are discussed in this paper. Although debris from the
shots was recognizable at the fixed stations, it was much less pronounced, and measurements of it were greatly complicated by back-

ground levels.

Select target paragraph3