In an effort to detect a pattern, the five regions of Table 1 pertaining to slope were assigned the following approximate time-spans in
samples
related
d

in the

rels of

| Samples.

for the

as

ost of the

ficiently
expected

slopes of
rion that entire

region.
ible 1 the
and

108e

Because the points of inflection of the various curves do not coincide,
these limits for the five periods had to be arbitrary.

(curves 9-104

Omitting the first

en-

st region

inclusive), the slope for a curve was entered in the blank

gpace so that a slope was available for each of the five time-periods involved.

the five

8,

<100, 100-300, 300-700, 700-1200, and 1200-2300.

eight curves, and, therefore, considering only the post-Mike material

10 Table

slope

days, respectively:

Computation of mean and standard deviation (VSx2/(n-1)), not

standard error, of the 92-96 slopes for each of the five time-periods

gave, respectively, these results: -1.35%0.45; -1.26+0.28; -1.25t0. 34;
-1. 25t0. 37, -1.78t0.79.

The mean slope of -1.35 for the period up to

100 days is steeper than for the three following periods, -1,26, -1. 25,

and -1.25, but is less steep than for the last period -1.78.

Likewise,

the standard deviation of slopes was greater for the first than for the
succeeding three periods, but less than for the fifth, and this same variability is also discernible from the graphs.

There is thus evidence of a

general increase in rate of decay of post-Mike samples during the last

three years, over the first three years, with the exception of certain
Samples to be discussed later.

The present decay rates may be compared to the theoretical
gross

beta

decay

curve

for

slow-neutron-induced fission products

Select target paragraph3