of the observed amountof a given nuclide to the amount expected from thermal neutron fission
at U’*, relative to some reference nuclide, combine the effects of fractionation and variations
in fission yield and contain a number of experimental uncertainties. Values between 0.5 and 1.5

cannot be considered significantly different from 1.0.) Selected particles were also weighed so
that the number of fissions per gram could be computed.
Radioactivity measurements were made in the gamma well counter (WC) and the 4-7 gamma
ionization chamber (GIC), both of which are described in Section 2.2. Because the efficiency of
the former decreased with increasing photon energy, while the efficiency of the latter increased,
samples were often assayed in both instruments and the ratio of the two measurements(counts

per minute per 10‘ fissions to milliamperes per 10‘ fissions) used as an indication of differences
in radionuclide composition.

It will be observed that the particles in Table B.7 have been classified according to color and
shape. For purposes of comparing radiochemical properties, spheroidal and agglomerated particles have been grouped together and designated as “altered particles,” while irregular particles have been designed “unaltered particles.” The latter should not be interpretedliterally,
of course; it will be evident from the foregoing section that the majority of irregular particles
have undergone some degree of chemical change. Particles were classified as altered if they
exhibited the obvious physical changes of spheroidal or agglomerated particles under the optical
microscope.
Radiochemical results for all altered and unaltered particles from Shot Zuni are summarized

in Table 3.9, and activity ratios of the particles from this shot and Shot Tewa are compared in
Table 3.10. The differences in radiochemical composition suggested in the tables are emphasized in Figure 3.20, which shows how the energy-dependent ratios (counts per minute per 104
fissions, milliamperes per 10‘ fissions and counts per minute per milliamperes) varied with
time, and in Figure 3.21, wherein the data used for computing the R-values and product/fission
(p/f) ratios (number of atomsof induced product formedperfission) in Tables B.7 and B.8 are
Presented graphically by plotting the numbers of atoms of each nuclide in a sample versus the

number of atoms of Mo**. Data obtained from calibration runs with neutron-irradiated U?* are

Plotted in the former for comparison; and the standard cloud sample data for Np?’, as well as

those derived from the estimated device fission yields for Ba'‘® and Sr®®, are included in the

‘Tatter.
Rt is interesting to note that these results not only establish that marked differences exist
between the two types of particles, but also show the altered particles to be depleted in both

Ba‘(°_15440 and Sr®®, while the unaltered particles are enriched in Ba'‘*-La° and perhaps slightly

depleted in Sr®*, The altered particles are also seen to be about a factor of 100 higher than the

waltered in terms of fissions per gram. When these R-values are compared with those obtained
from grossfallout samples (Tables 3.17 and 3.21), it is further found that the values for altered
Particles resemble those for samples from the lagoon area, while the values for the unaltered
Particles resemble those from cloud samples.

* Activity Relations hips.
All of the particles whose gammaactivities and physical
Properties were measured in the YAG 40 laboratory (Table B.34), as well as several hundred
Additional particles from the incremental collectors on the other ships and barges, were studied

Systematically (Reference 30) in an attempt to determine whetherthe activities of the particles
Were functionally related to their size. These data are listed in Table B.9 and the results are
din Figures 3.22 and 3.23. Possible relationships between particle activity, weight, and

ity were also considered (Reference 25), using a separate group of approximately 135 par-

Heles Collected on the YFNB 29 during Shots Zuni and Tewa and the YAG 39 during Shot Tewa

Saly; Figures 3.24 and 3.25 show the results.

*

As implied by the differences in radiochemical composition discussed in the preceding section,
ked differences exist in the gamma-radiation characteristics of the different types of parti-

8.

Compared with the variations in decay rate and energy spectrum observed for different

Particles collected at about the same time on the YAG 40 (Figures B.2, B.3 and B.4), altered

erencles Show large changes relative to unaltered particles. Figures 3.26 and 3.27 from RefCe 26 illustrate this point. The former, arbitrarily normalized at 1,000 hours, shows how
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