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Marine biological surveys which have been carried on by AEC and
cooperating agencies for some years in the Marshall Islands have now
been extended to the major currents of the Western Pacific.
A team of six acientists from the Atomic Energy Commiseion, the
Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and the Institute of Applied Fisheries
of the University of Washington is carrying on the studies.
aboard the United States Coast Guard Cutter TANEY.
They are
‘The expedition ae-
parted from the West Coast of the United States February 26, 1955.
It
has traversed wide reaches of the Equatoriel and North Equatorial currents
and before the end of the expedition on or about April 15 will traverse
the Kuroshio Current east of Japan.
The scientists aboard the TANEY are making measurements at various
depths of temperatures, current characteristics, salinity, and the traces
of radioactivity, natural and introduced, which may be found in th: sea
water.
They also are collecting plankton and other marine life and are
measuring these specimens for radioactivity.
The preliminary survey date of the group of the TANEY are consistent
with the findings cf Japanese scientists on the cruise of the SHINIDTSU
MARU in June 1954.
The Japanese expedition found shat residual radio-
activity from the test conducted in the Marshall Islands in the spring of
1954 continued to be detectable.
Since then, this residual radioactivity
has greatly diminished in intensity in accordance with the known lews of
‘radioactive decay and through mixing with large volumes of the oceen
water.
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