Fig. 2.1 Aerial View of Uncle Island Prior ‘:o Shot 1, Looking Away from Ground Zero. Victor and William Islands in distance. shell becoming softer toward the center. JIn addition the concentration of the pliable crown at the apex of the single stem is unique as is the extensive, fibrous root system emanating from the swollen lower stem. Two other factors, unrelated to the structure of the tree or to inherent wood strength but which rendered most palm trees on these three islands unsuitable for study, were axe damage and fire scar. Nearly all trees bore some foothold notches and the cross sectional areas of many were seriously reduced, predisposing such trees to breakage. Fire damage to root crowns from past ground fires had reduced the bearing surface of many palms, again predisposing them to breakage at the ground line. All palms studied were carefully selected and were relatively free of these defects. . Topography was uniformly flat with a maximum elevation of 12 ft above mean low water springs. Nowhere was topography sufficient to cause shielding of pressure gages. 2.2.2 Victor Island The uncleared portion of Victor Island, 36 acres in area, was covered with a dense, nearly pure stand of large Pisonia trees. From a fringe of pioneer Tournefortia and Sesevola serub along the top of the beach the trees increased in height to the center of the island. This effect, known as "wind shear" or "spray shear," was most pronounced from north to south, the direction of the prevailing wind. Over the years the mechanical breakege action of hurricare winds and the growth-retarding effect of impinging suit had imparted this domed appearance to the 1s SECRET - RESTRICTED DATA