Wbiw
surroundingland or water area to unintentional
radioactive contdnationa
(C) The mechanism of meteorologicalprocesses for the
site should be adequately understood ad
the weather
predictions for the site demonstrated to be of a high
and reliable accuracy.
The Marshall Islands in the maindo not meet these meteorological
requirenmnts.
(a) First, xtil.y cIoudy Co-ti-,
generally four to
six tenths cumulus bases 2,000 feet and tops variable
to 10,000 feet prevail over the Isl.arxls.Scattered light
showers are comsm throughout the year. For expetints
requiring a minimum of cloudiness, this tropical area is
a poor choice. Probably the most vivid exauple of the
sensitivityof the prevailing cloudiness to an experimental
operation was the Able-day test at Bikini. For this
test, a minimum cloudiness was almost mandatory. A
bomb drop would have been impossible hsd the average
Marshall Islati cloudiness prevailed on’Able4sy.
\
In
the practice days leading up to Able-day, bomb dropping
aircraft frequently aborted for failure to see the
target because of clods.
The fact that Able-day was
successful does not alter the fact that for an average
expectancy, the mSssion should have failed ad
that a
SECTION XIX
66
S&0&H”