A RECONSTRUCTION OF CHRONIC DOSES FOR RONGELAP
AND UTIRIK RESIDENTS - 1954 TO 1980

KE. T. Lessard, N. A. Greenhouse, R. P. Miltenberger

ABSTRACT

From June 1946 to August 1958, the U.S. Department of Defense and Atomic
Energy Commission conducted nuclear weapons tests in the Northern Marshall

Islands.

BRAVO, an aboveground test in the Castle series, resulted in

radioactive fallout contaminating Rongelap and Utirik Atolls.

On March 3,

1954, the inhabitants of these atolls were relocated until radiation exposure
rates declined to acceptable levels.

Environmental and personnel radiological

monitoring programs were begun in the mid-1950's by Brookhaven National Labora-~
tory to ensure that dose equivalents received or committed remained within U.S.
Federal Radiation Council Guidelines for members of the general public.

Body-

burden and dose equivalent histories along with activity ingestion patterns postreturn are presented.

Dosimetric methods,

results,

and internal dose equivalent

distributions for subgroups of the population are also described.

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