SECTION 4
UNCERTAINTY ANALYSIS
The uncertainty in calculated film badge doses is estimated from the underlying
parameters.

Not only is the uncertainty in the mean film badge dose determined, but

also the distribution in dose about the mean is estimated for typical personnel.

The

basic uncertainties in the topside environment include radiation intensities on deck,
the positions of personnel (hence their exposure) on deck, the time spent on deck, and

the shielding from fallout afforded to those below.

Uncertainties in the radiation

environment below due to ship contamination are dominated by assumed buildup and
decay rates of the radioactive material accumulated on the ship's hull and interior salt
water systems.

Intensity levels on deck are determined from shipboard radiological survey data,
supplemented at late times by decay rates measured on Bikini Atoll. Individual meter
readings on deck, where available, are taken as accurate, their inherent error having a
negligible influence on the overall uncertainty in dose.

Average on-deck intensity as a

function of time is taken as accurate; the power law interpolation in time between
surveys Closely approximates fission product decay at the times after burst considered.
Power law fitting is less accurate during fallout deposition and decontamination;
however, the influence of this uncertainty is minimized because the typical crew-

member was below during these intervals. Overall, error in on-deck intensity is small
compared to the uncertainty associated with crew

position in

the

non-uniform

radiation environment.

The significant variation in on-deck intensities following fallout deposition
focuses attention on the positioning of the crew relgtive to those intensities. Specific
data on crew positioning are lacking; however, the crew size and the variety of duties

performed suggest that the crew was, on the average, randomly positioned on deck and
therefore randomly exposed to each reported intensity. The uncertainty in dose
resulting from these assumptions cannot be directly quantified, except by considering
unrealistic extremes.

However, an indication is provided by the assumption that, for

each interval topside, personnel remained in the same general deck area but were

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