The positioning of 35 of the nuclear explosives before detonation
follows: 14
Positioning
Number of Tests
Barge
.
Tower
17
|
9
Land Surface
5
Air Drop
2
Underwater
2
GEERTN RG OS REPEATS OE eee cr ta
Of course, land surface tests were the most destruct ive to the physical condition
of the islands by producing still-existing craters or by removing an island
entirely.
Most barge tests were offshore on the lagoon side off the islands
of Runit (Yvonne) and Enjebi (Janet). Being generally west of these islands,
the tests produced radioactivity that the prevailing winds from the northeast
‘generally carried away from the island and over the lagoon.
In either the case of a successful nuclear detonation or the case of an
unsuccessful nuclear detonation, a spread of radioactivity results in addition
‘
In the case
of a successful detonation, the following principal radioactive results are:
rememream Nae Re
an
to physical damage to the land, vegetation, and animals.
1.
fission products resulting from the fission of the
uranium or plutonium used for the nuclear explosive, with
°
significant fission products being cesium-137 and strontiom-90.
(Their 27- and 28-year half lives, respectively, roughly
correspond to human lifetimes, sotlrydo not decay appreciably
in an acceptable waiting period, nor do they decay sufficiently
slowly to result in a low amount of radioactivity.