tee
inated
5.h.1. Potential Maximm in the USA
The MIKE debris took about ten days to reach gummed
papers exposed in the United Stgtes and the KING material took
about six davs.
In order to estimate the maximm activity that
could be deposited in the United States from future Pacific tests
of megaton yields, it is necessary to postulate the fastest possible transport. A review of nrevioue Pacific tests indicatss that
the case of most rapid transport to the United States occurred
with GREENIDUSE BOG, detonated 7 April 1951.
Rochester, N. Y. and
dani
Washington, D. C. both reported approximately 1000 d/m in rain—
_ four to five days after burst(2).
Computation of high-level
_ trajectories suggeststhat the core of the GREENHOUSE DOG bomb
passed well south of Washington, so it is possible that the
maximum rainout was also south of Washington and perhaps an order
of magnitude greater than the activity reported.
itis reasonable —
oo.
to assume that under similar meteorological conditions radioactive
' from rainout on the west coast would be higher than on the east
coast because decay and dilution would have been operating over a
shorter period. The increase would probably be less than an order
of magnitude, however, probably a factor of two or three.
Summarizing, it is estimated that the maximum possible rainout over the United States from pegaton-yield tests in the |
Pacific would lie in the range 10°
to 10°
d/m.
This crude estimate
is based on the assumption that radioactivity from rainout, under
similar meteorological conditions, is directly proportional to the
bomb yield.
The meteorological conditions necessary for maximm
reinout are fast westerly winds in the upper troposphere and rainout
from high levels over the United States. These conditions wuld
.
be expected in winter and spring rather than during sumer and fall.
SOUTHEAST AND EAST ASIA
' . Southeastern and eastern Asia is the only area outside of
the Western Pacific which received activity of the order of 104
d/n.
Forthermore, it is an area where even greater radioactivity might
be expected. The highest radioactivity collected at Clark Field,
P, I. from MIKE debris was about 200,000 d/m (with no rein) and
3,000 d/m after KING.
,
= 38 -
:
me Oa,
JG)
mean nn he Pre acreainem ehnant
.
‘
“‘
Se Ai Ne Se Ete
le
5.5