Rainout
Abstract
Broadly speaking, rainout is the deposition on the earth's surface of radioactive particles (resulting from nuclear weapons bursts) through interactions of these particles with raindrops and rain clouds. For the atmospheric nuclear tests performed in the past, the possibility of rainout was recognized and then deliberately minimized by delaying the test when local precipitation existed in order to avoid any potential rainout hazard outside the test area. As a consequence, little useful rainout data were obtained from these tests. The end result was a phenomenon recognized qualtitatively to be a potential hazard, but of unknown intensity and extent. Recently, the scientific effort in the rainout area has been increased in order to determine the extent of potential militarily significant hazards and to develop a better understanding of the phenomenon.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1976
- Accession Number
- ADA046201
Entities
People
- Forest O. Thompson Jr