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UNITED STATES
ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
WASHINGTON 25, D.C,
April 8, 1958
Dear Mr. Durham:
Among the shots that we have planned for the
.
are two very high altitude firings
.
one at 250,000 feet and the other at
’
-Teet. Both
these firings are of extreme importance to our defense programs.
They are expected to give us valuable and essential information
er
oo,
Nenana
with respect to various effects that ocour following a nuclear
detonation above the greater portion of the earth's atmosphere.
It is expected that the results of these tests will prove of
great significance in the development of our defensive capabilities
including possible defensive measures against intercontinental
Yallistic missiles,
Since the initial conception of these tests, we have, of
course, studied expaugtively the safety aspects of their conduct.
Qne of these aspects
onoerns the distances to which the .visible
light from these explosions might cause damage to the human eye,
\
Our first studies indicated that these distances were small
enough to be confined to
our test area and therefore created no
uncontrollable problem with respect to the safe conduct of the
two tests,
New theoretical calculations as to the amount of energy from
these shots that will appear in the form of visible radiation have
‘increased materially our estimate of the range at whichsome damage
This increased range inciudes
might be caused to the human eye.
a number of the inhabited atolls of the Marshall Islands, We have
studied Ways and means of controlling the conduct of these tests
50 as to insure that the natives of these islands could under no
condition receive eye damaze,- Ye have, for instance, considered
the stationing of American personnel, including Trust Teredtory
officials, on the various atolls and taking as positive measures.
as possible to insure that no one was looking directly at the
detonation at the time of its occurrence. However, it is felt
that, despite an almost unlimited expenditure of our personnel
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Patricia M. Bodin