UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA PROGRAM FOR STUDIES
OF CONVECTIVE STORMS AND SCAVENGING
OF RADIOACTIVE PARTICLES
WALTER J. SAUCIER, SAMUEL J. HALL, and ROBERT Y. NELSON
University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
ABSTRACT
A description is presented of the objectives, the facilities, and the
operations of the University of Oklahoma program for studying the
role of convective storms in the scavenging and the washout of radioactive particles from the atmosphere.
INTRODUCTION
The broad objectives of the University of Oklahoma program are
(1) to examine thunderstorm convection as a mechanism for fallout of
nonaqueous particulates, especially radioactive particles, and (2) toadd
to the knowledge of the physics of cloud growth and precipitation of such
storms by the uSe of identifiable particulates such as radionuclides as
tracers. The second objective is really a by-product of the first. At
present we wish to determine the radioactive fallout and the variations
in this fallout in thunderstorm rainfall, to determine the distributions
of radioactivity in the thunderstorm environments, and to observe and
measure the thunderstorm convection by means of rainfall records,
ground meteorological records, weather radar surveillance, and routine
meteorological data,
METEOROLOGICAL SETTING
The stratosphere acts as a reservoir for radioactive debris in-
jected there during nuclear weapons tests. Owing to stratification,
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