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PROJECT GABRIEL
|. OBJECTIVE
The objective of Project GABRIEL is to evaluate the radiological hazard from the fallout
of debris from nuclear weapons detonated in warfare. Depending upon the conditions under
which such weapons are used, the major interest may lie either in local fallout or in the superimposed long range fallout from many weapons.
Il. CONSIDERATIONS INVOLVED
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Estimates of the radiological hazard to man resulting from radioactive fallout involve
considerations which may beclassified as follows:
A. Dependence of fallout on conditions of debris formation:
1. Height of burst
2. Yield
. Dependence of fallout on meteorological conditions:
1. Debris transport
2. Influence of rain
. Observed distribution of debris:
1. Near point of detonation
2. Remote from detonation
. Behavior of fission products in physical environment:
1. Air
2. Water
3. Soil
Uptake and metabolism of fission products by plants.
Uptake and metabolism of fission products by man and animals.
. Effects of exposure of humans to radiation:
1. Radiation from sources external to the body.
2. Radiation from radioisotopes within the body.
“These considerations are discussed in some detail in Section V, and calculations and some
tentative conclusions are given in Section VI
lll. ORGANIZATION
Within the Atomic Energy Commission, the Division of Biology and Medicine is responsibie
for effort specifically directed towards GABRIEL. Such effort includes both the support of
experimental and field studies andthe correlation of relevant data from a wide range of extra-
‘divisional activities.
A.. Theoretical studies:
_~
A theoretical analysis of the long range aspects of GABRIEL was made in 1949 by Dr. Nicholas
M. Smith, Jr.,1:* Oak Ridge National Laboratory, at the request of the Atomic Energy Commission. Smith concluded that Sr—90 is by far the most hazardous isotope resulting from nuclear
detonations, and that the distribution of this isotope over large areas of the earth’s surface
‘constitutes the limiting factor in estimating the long-range hazard from the use of a large number
-of atomic bombs.
In 1952 RAND Corporation was given a contract to make an independent study of GABRIEL,
with some emphasis on the short-range aspects of fallout. Study of this phase, later called
AUREOLE, has-been carried as far as present information appears to permit, and a report has
.
-been prepared.*
Footnote references on pp. 42-43.
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DOS ARCHIVES