132

LOCKHART, PATTERSON, AND SAUNDERS
A comparison of the overall distribution of the @ar

et

nuclides among the filters of a given collection2 discloses.susprisingly |

little evidence of fractionation; however, the comparison of‘the,nuclide

ratios of the extremes in the particle-size rdfiges showftigeTable a

gives definite indications of a
90g, as aa reference, at?
“t
in

thee

Table 5— COMPARISON OF ACTIVITY RATIOS

Sr FOR THE LARGEST AND THE SMALLEST-:Ss Fg.
PARTICLE-SIZE FRACTIONS

for initial filter vs. final filter

0.71
0.89

August 10 to 17

0.61

August 17 to
September 6

September 6to 13

October 24 to
November 8.
Average

oN

0.95

Sty

§13%Ccg

Ce

MIpm

1.19
0.65
1.01
0.99
et

1.85
1.23

ph

1.23
1.36
a |

0.28
0.71

7 wR.

0.53

BLE nedt*O87

“

.

awe
~ 6.88
0.49

0.86

- 0.83

Te ge
6.50".

76S
7
:
ie:

Bs

-

a,

87

0.41

$4

(0.23
0,52

a ae e-

Standard deviatiog--Sg
a
of themean
“#0.06 10:94:Boe:$0545 ae+0.10
at
of a single rat®o

nae x

+0. 16 6.119

ah

Standard deviation

ove&

-

sis ppleted in the largest

particles. The nuclides ‘8’cs, ‘4Ce, and te Disare rather variable in

their distribution, and *'Y appears to be fractiigeag ext. There was no

apparent, relation:Between the extent or dire
AVtionation and
the existgnce of gaseous or volatile precursors nthe,
sdecay chains of
the nuclifes. For example, there appeared to be no preferential as-

sociation of *ty, '“4Ce, and '’Pm with the larger particles, as might

be inferred from their lack of volatile ancestors. The observed association of 7!°Pb with smaller particles is to be expected on the basis
of its shorter average lifetime in the atmosphere since it is continually
being reintroduced through decay of the 3.8-day 72*Rn primarily in the
lower levels of the troposphere.

CONCLUSIONS
The results obtained in these studies of the distribution of radioactivity among filters in a pack indicate that the fission-product con-

glomerate encountered at ground level some months after a series of
nuclear detonations has the bulk of its radioactivity associated with

ie

88Sr

February 15 to 21
May 3 to 10
July 19 to

August 9

ee -

Ratio of activity ratios to Sr =~

Collection
dates, 1963

“tiers

Select target paragraph3