.
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dial painters, miners of radioactive ores, therapy cases, and people who Live in radioactive
regions or drink water that {a radioactive. The second part of the meeting was devoted to
discussion of investigative procedures for more comprehensive studies. It was felt that the
studies already under way were valuable and should be continued. It was recognized, however, that the undertaking of more comprehensive studies would present many difficulties
and that meaningful sclentlfic information might not be derived from them,
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7
AERIAL RADIATION SURVEYS
During the July-September quarter the U. S. Geological Survey conducted aerial radiation
surveys in the southwestern corner of Utah and adjoining territory in Nevada and Arizona to
obtain data for use in a study concerned with external gamma radiation levels in and around
cerfain communities. In addition firm plans were developed to extend the aerial monitoring
program conducted in connection with fall 1958 weapons test activities at the Nevada Test Site
to include surveys of Mare Island, Livermore, and Berkeley reactor locations on the West
Coast, and Brookhaven and New London on the East Coast.
CIVIL EFFECTS ACTIVITIES
Radiation Surveys ~Nevada Test Site Area
Aerial and ground radiation surveys were conducted at NTS in July and August in advance
of the exper!mental phase of the reactor testing activities at Jackass Flats and to providea
followup for fallout studies conducted during Operation PLUMBBOB. Under AEC direction,
personne] of the Atomic Energy Project of the University of California at Los Angeles made
ground surveys, which included the collection of soll, plant, and animal samples in the Jackass
Flats area, and the U. S, Geological Survey conducted airborne surveys. The aerial surveys
were completed in early August. The UCLA personnel also conducted a plutonium survey and
a strontium and cesium survey in areas contaminated by past tests. (End of UNCLASSIFIED
section.)
In Septercber, and continuing into October, the AEC Civil Effects Test Group and the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization participated in the weapons tests at NTS. Field work
included measurement of fallout by personnel of the UCLA Atomic Energy Project, with aerial
radiation mozitoring by the U. S. Geological Survey. The air survey capability was made available to the test site radiological safety organization for onsite or offsite emergency assignments. A second project involved the continuation of studies of the angular distribution of
prompt bomb radiation in the air and studies of the shielding characteristics of light frame
houses against prompt gamma and neutron radiation. This project, as in Operation PLUMBBOR, vas being performed by personnel from Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In another project, the effects of nuclear detonations on AEC test structures in regions of high blast pressures and prompt radiation were being studied.
Under an AEC research contract, personnel from Highiands University of Las Vegas, New
Mexico, continued botanical field studies initiated during Operation PLUMBBOB. (End of
ecw’, section.)
Civil Effects Task Units (UNCLASSIFIED)
DOE ARCHIVES
A meeting of the AEC Blast Biology Task Unit was held in August at Albuquerque under.
the chairmanship of Dr. C. S. White of the Lovelace Foundation. The task unit reviewed the
50
1 renReAE
Participation in Fall 1958 Weapons Tests (GroenA
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BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE