Monitoring operations throughout the country, carried cut by members of
the Hanford #orka, Oak Ridue, Argonne and Brookhaven National Laboratories,
and the New York Laboratory, kept check on radioactivity in the air, and in
rein and snow,
At no point was any level observed which ceuld be even slightly
@amavins to health,
These testa verified completely the belief that detonations of this type
could oe held at this site with no resulting radiological hasards anywhere in
the country, provided certain basic metevurological cenditions were reapected.
4 large mount of information was obtained, or verified, which has direct
application te civil defense planning,
(ee
Shelter Tests (Qa)
In cormeaction with the final detenation on February 6, members of the
Biophysics Brench arranged an experiment to investigate the shelter potentialities
of gutomobiles as anaid to civil defense,
Five automobiles, models 1936-39, g11
with turret-tops and safety-class windows, were s:t% out in various orlentutions
one~half
Fmile apart at distances of one-half to two and a half miles from ground
saro,
As expected, the car at one-nnif mile was demolished and dDurned.
The car
at cue mile was sinrad and the windows on the blast side were broken, but the car
remained relatively intact, For some reagan, the casoline in the tank of the car
at one and « half niles camght fire, destroying the entire inside of the car.
Cars at two miles and two and a half niles wera widamaced except for one eracked
window. None of the cars was overturned nor shifted noticeably fromite original
position, nor were any topa erushed,
The tentative conclusion is that a person might take refuge in « car,
particularly 1£ he crouches under the dash or on the fleer of the back seat
and thereby gain fair protection from thermal and blast effects if he is beyond
the one-mile sone. “ithin the one-mile sone, the intensity of the gamma rays
is likely te be lethal whether the car gives other protection or not. A car
might be used for protedtion either on the street sr in the geraze at hone,
Likewise, an appreciable shelter would be gained by simply relling under ac ar
parked at the curb or in a garage. This experiment has been described to
officials of the POCA.
Greenhouse
Pane
A member of the Diophysics Sranch has departed to participate in Operation
Greenhouse ae part of a Burean of Standards team to test photographic response
of films te radiation.
Waste Disposal Policy
A draft memorandum on waste disposal has bean given wide distribution
amucng ALC and coniracter mwraomel in the field, te determine whether in their
opinion the pelicy meets practical needs, whether it conflicts with accepted
safe practices s and whether it at cat not serve as a dustsfor future auminis— Gro
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