Ground Roughness Effects on the Energy and Angular Distribution of Gamma Radiation From Fallout
Abstract
The effect of ground roughness, or surface irregularities, on the radiation field above ground which had been contaminated with fallout from the explosion in the atmosphere of a nuclear device (Smallboy Event) was investigated for three types of Nevada terrain: (1) a flat dry-lake bed, (2) a plowed field with a known and uniform degree of roughness, and (3) typical wild desert. A modified 5-ton Navy 6x6 truck was used as a mobile laboratory. A collimator and a scintillation crystal with a 512-channel analyzer were used to measure gamma-ray spectra at various polar angles. Dose-vs-height measurements were also made up to a height of 40 ft. The gamma-ray pulse-height distributions were unfolded to give energy spectra from which the angular distribution of radiation dose was calculated. Comparisons were made between theoretical predictions and these experimental determinations of directional dose. The project was undertaken to determine the importance of ground roughness as a factor in shielding against fallout radiation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1964
- Accession Number
- ADA437766
Entities
People
- C. M. Huddleston
- Q. G. Klingler
- R. M. Kinkaid
- Z. G. Burson
Organizations
- EG&G