The external dose received by the, returned Bikinians will depend upon where various people are located, and for what periods of time, within the “island complex. or children. Location in turn depends upon whether they are men, women, The returnees (see Age Distribution table) will probably consist of about equal numbers of men and women. to be spent in the four radiation domains The amount of time likely (village area, beach, interior, and lagoon) by the various groups within the population are shown in Table 1. Probably the most time will be spent in the village area, where the dose rate is intermediate between beach and interior levels. The dose rate may be reduced one half by covering the ground with an inch of clean sand or soil. This in essence will be done in the village area through the custom of covering the dirt floor and the yard with several inches of polished coral pebbles. The, expected integral dose to the population over various time intervals starting in 1970 is shown in Table 2. The actual internal dose derived from eating native foods is somewhat more difficult to assess. (1) As in the past, However, the natives will doubtless take much of their sus- tenance from the lagoon and ocean. limited, at least at pandanus, etc. (3) three points should be borne in mind. first, due (2) to the Edible land plants will be severely sparcity of fruit-bearing coconut, The Bikinians have become accustomed to eating new foods, and will probably continue to eat such things as rice, meat, and powdered milk. found in foodstuffs Wm The only radionuclides of biological collected at Bikini were 9055 | sch: l3los and flour, canned importance 5B. Other