August 22, 1964

(cont.)

Collected ground water on Arji at a depth of 7', but not in
large quantity.

Wood,

soil cores,

plants,

and soil samples were

collected in both areas and will provide the basis for more definitive information.
Palumbo:

"This complex of islands is a good example of the

changing patterns in vegetation as related to distance from

nuclear detonations.

The eastern island, Arji, contains good

cover of the expected vegetation and is the only one with fruitbearing coconut trees.

Some coconuts were mature,

many in different stages of development.
from the detonation site.

was the site,

apparently,

tall, with

Arji is the farthest

On the other hand,

of several

8-10'

Eman,

to the west,

detonations and has now the

least developed flora.

The other islands also reflected this

pattern of vegetation.

The photographs will show these features

better than words.
Algae growth at the west end of the island chain was no

less than that at the eastern end.

Off Arji only Halimeéda was

seen in abundance at various depths near shore and in the deeper
water at the eastern tip,
islands,

near the deep entrance off the central

large beds of algae were seen.

These observations lead

one to conclude that recovery of algal growth is proceeding at

a good rate,"

Select target paragraph3