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CWLR - 2380
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‘THE FEASIBILITY OF USING A REACTOR AS A NUCLEAR-WEAPON
SIMULATOR FOR SOIL-ACTIVATION STUDIES (U).
J. H. McNeilly and E. F. Wilsey, June 1960.
UNCLASSIFIED
(U)
The experiment described uses a nuclear reactor as a neutron
source to simlate a nuclear weapon for studying the residual gamma activity
induced in soils. The results obtained are then compared with results
obtained from a nuclear detonation.
The reactor-trradiation and muclear-detonation data are in good
agreement for sodium; however, the results with manganese are between 35%
The behavior of the thermal-neutron flux with relation to depth
was very similar at depths greater than 15 cm.
The nuclear-detonation
neutron-flux data showed a peaking of the thermal flux at about 8 cm, but
these peaks were not seen in the muclear-reactor data.
This was explained
py the neutron-spectrum differences and the lack of optimm experimental
conditions because of a rainstorm during irradiation by the reactor.
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and 50% higher for the reactor irradiation than for the nuclear detonation.
Although the feasibility of using a reactor in place of a
nuclear detonation for studying neutron-induced activities in soil looks
promising, it cannot be definitely established by the results of this
CWLR - 2385
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ALPHA-CONTAMINATION STUDIES AT OPERATION PLUMBBOB AND
HARDTACK (U).
R. J. Smith, May 1960.
SECRET-RESTRICTED DATA
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Three recent detonations which produced alpha contamination are
reviewed to provide background information for the successful operation of
the Chemical Corps Plucon Teams. Weapons data, ground~-zero layout,
meteorological conditions, alpha-survey and air~sampling results are
presented for Shots NIS-57, Operation PLUMBBOB, and Shots Quince and
Hamilton, Operation HARDIACK.
The effects of wind and the jet on the
contamination pattern are discussed.
wi:
The conclusions drawn from this report are:
1. Shot NIS-57, bottom detonated on the groumd, produced a
residual-hazard area which extended 1,500 ft downwind. High concentrations of respirable plutonium particles in the primary aerosol were
observed at 5,000 ft downwind.
WNRC
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study. A soil sample with the same characteristics as the one exposed
to the nuclear detonation should be irradiated by a reactor under more
suitable experimental conditions than were obtained during this experiment.