MECHANISM AND EXTENT OF THE EARLY DISPERSION OF RADIOACTIVE PRODUCTS IN WATER,
Abstract
The early distribution of radioactivity in the sea following Shot Wigwam, 14 May 1955, was complex. During the early survey, which extended from 14 to 24 May, the radioactive water masses were surveyed continuously. The surface radioactivity was surveyed three times, and three other water masses extending from the thermocline to 300 meters in depth were also surveyed. The total activity found, referred to 120 hours after detonation, was 85,000,000 curies. This result is extremely close to the prediction of the ''concept'' of 84,100,000 curies at H+120 hours. The closeness of the results is meaningless because of the many uncertainties involved in the measurements. Thirty-two percent of the activity was found in the surface layers, and 68 percent was found at a depth of 200 to 300 meters. The deep activity was found to be complexly distributed in laminae of activity that moved more or less independently of the surface and other waters. It appears that the mechanism that gave rise to this distribution was an emergence of a deep column of water at early times following the detonation and a subsequent mixing of these deeper waters with the surface layers and their sinking to an intermediate depth as a result of instability. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 28, 1962
- Accession Number
- AD0445669
Entities
People
- John D. Isaacs
Organizations
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography