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SUMMARY
1.
Surveys were made in
1954 to 1958 to
determine the
geographical limits of the radioactive contamination from
the tests
2.
in the central
Collections of biological samples and soils were made
at one test site island
3.
Pacific Ocean.
(Bikini)
and ten "off-site"
islands.
The gross beta radioactivity decreased with distance
from the test site;
in 1956 and 1958 islands within a 130-
mile radius contained at least ten times as much radioac-
tivity as the other islands.
4.
The levels of radioactivity also were related to direc-
tion from the test site.
In 1955 the islands to the east
contained high levels of radioactivity.
Tarawa,
800 miles southeast of the test site,
low levels whereas Kapingamarangi,
distance to the southwest,
amounts of radioactivity.
5.
In 1956 and 1958
contained very
approximately the same
contained significantly higher
DOE ARCHIVES
Zr? -Nb95 and Rut93, 106_py103,106 were the predominant
radioisotopes present in the majority of the samples.
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