Neutron-Induced Soil Radioactivity
Abstract
Soil samples were exposed to neutron radiation from Shot Cherokee to help establish the importance of neutron-induced residual gamma radiation from a large-yield thermonuclear air burst. After exposure and recovery, the samples had no detectable activity because the slant range to the nearest sample was nearly 3.5 miles, due to an error in bomb drop. After this failure, an experiment was designed in the field for Shot Yuma in order that induced-activity data could be obtained for a soil other than Nevada Test Site (NTS) soil. Samples of sodium, manganese, and coral sand from Site Sally were exposed above and below the surface at a slant range of 120 yards. At this same ation, gamma dose rates were measured and neutron detectors were exposed by Project 2. 51. The full-field gamma radiation measured was due to a combination of fission-product and neutron-induced activities, the only important induced activity being due to Na23(n,lambda) Na24. At 1.1, 3.4, and 10.9 hours after zero time, neutron-induced gamma radiation accounted for 1.2, 1.1, and 0.8 r/hr of the measured 6.0, 2.2, and 1.2 r/hr. These values were found to be within 50 percent of neutron-induced dose rates.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 10, 1959
- Accession Number
- AD0339959
Entities
People
- Maynard Cowan Jr.