MISSION FALLOUT

the NADA desert some of the most desolate acres to be found anywhere in the United States home of the Nevada Test Site Continental local of the atomic energy commission's nuclear testing program [Music] [Applause] [Music] here on some 600 square miles of desert waste the United States tests laboratory designed nuclear devices these tests have helped the nation maintain its military strength they have made important contributions toward the development of weapons needed for defense but aside from weapons development these tests serve other vital purposes since the United States has no nuclear Monopoly it must be prepared to weather Atomic attack accordingly structures of all kinds shapes old and new varied material are subjected to the withering effects of atomic explosion from such tests and hundreds of other experiments comes knowledge knowledge that will help the nation's citizens withstand possible enemy [Music] attack to house feed and provide the many other services needed by test person now a small city has been built on the edge of the test site a city of dories huts quanset and warehouses a city called Mercury and it is at Mercury that the atomic energy commission's civil effects test group has its headquarters here Personnel of the atomic energy commission and the federal civil defense Administration work to obtain data on the Civil effects of nuclear explosion countless questions are raised and the answers sought how will homes factories and Public Utilities stand up under Atomic Blast how will survivors of devastated cities be relocated and perhaps most important of all how will the hazard of radiation from Fallout affect everyone's chances for survival the answers are sometimes found only in the presence of an actual nuclear explosion as a result Specialists are brought to the nbada test site to gain experience under more realistic circumstances for nowhere else in the United States does Fallout occur in quantities and under conditions that might be related to Fallout from weapons in a nuclear war these men journey to Mercury to learn more about Fallout to assess its hazards and to develop ways to cope with it already highly trained in iological defense these Specialists bring with them the necessary skills and equipment to evaluate Fallout whether in dangerous concentrations or not others flying aircraft touch down on Mercury air strip to help Usher in a new and faster means of assaying Fallout Fields they hope to develop further a way by which pilots flying light aircraft can quickly and accurately survey large areas for radiation levels and they too are well equipped to do their job before coming to Mercury these Pilots of the Civil Air Patrol underwent rigorous training courses in their home communities under fcda offices in fact they were picked to come to the test site only after they demonstrated Proficiency in radiological defense measures but in spite of their abilities and qualifications these men start again at Mercury from the ground up the all inspiring phenomenology of atomic explosion is resurveyed as you can see we've got a lot of work to cover in a very short period of time so with this introduction let's get on with the show first of all we intend to discuss some of the basic data on bomb phenomenology all of you are familiar with the so-called nominal type bomb we actually base many of our civil effects projections and what we know this bomb did some of the shots here at the site are close in yield to that of the nominal bomb none however even approach the Megaton yields of our thermonuclear devices however apart from magnitude the principal effects of a nuclear detonation are the same blast heat and radiation our chief interest of course is in the radiation effect but before we take up the subject of radiation from the standpoint of nuclear explosion let's take a look at radiation in general Marlo if you're ready let's roll the film first of all gentlemen man didn't start radiation with the atomic bomb it's been with us a long time in fact ever since the world began the very crust of the earth on which we live contains radioactive elements no matter where we live we are exposed to radiation from the earth on the average each of us receives yearly about 40 millin from thorium about the same amount from potassium and about 20 millin from radium and uranium in addition to this we get about 30 Mr per year from radioactive potassium and other radioactive elements present in the body man is also exposed to radiation from outer space in the form of cosmic rays at sea level we each get about 35 millin a year from this Source if we're inclined toward mountain climbing as a form of exercise we're apt to get even more for the higher we go on this Earth the more radiation we get from cosmic rays for example at 5,000 fet above sea level we pick up about 65 mkin a year 30 or more than at sea level Even in our Quest For Better Health we expose ourselves to radiation since the discovery of x-rays man has increased his radiation exposure many hundreds of times over that which he receives from natural sources a routine chest x-ray for instance may give from 1/10th to one Ren per exposure while a fluroscopic examination runs from 10 to 20 R per minute over the area exposed depending upon the technique and equipment used now what is the situation relative to radiation from a nuclear explosion the fact is whenever atomic energy is released whether by fishing or Fusion there are released with it certain powerful radiations these radiations are caused by the transmutation or if you will the eruption or explosion of the atoms to sum it up very briefly we have to contend with two types of radiation whenever an atomic device is detonated the first initial radiation concerns the release of neutrons and gamma rays at the instant of explosion from a practical standpoint this immediate radiation does not present a serious problem beyond the area devastated by blast and heat the second type of radiation and by far the more important from the civil defense Viewpoint is residual this residual radiation comes from three sources the fishing products or bomb ashes the neutron induced activity in the materials near Ground Zero and lastly from the unfed or unreacted materials in the device itself this residual radiation constitutes our primary concern in radiological defense it is The Fallout problem all Atomic detonations produce Fallout but the nature and extent of it depends upon the conditions under which a bomb or device is fired in an air burst the fishing products produced are very fine in nature almost like an aerosol since they have only the dust and moisture in the air on which to condense they tend to remain a loft for long periods of time and to fall out slowly but in a surface or near surface burst in which the fireball touches the ground huge quantities of Earth and other materials are drawn up behind the rising Fireball into the cloud the radioactive atoms produced by the explosion adhere to these particles since much of this material is heavy it descends while still highly radioactive the deposition of this radioactive debris constitutes The Fallout danger Fallout can be divided into three categories close in intermediate and delayed the first close in Fallout is our main concern this close in Fallout will occur within a few hundred miles of the burst and is usually on the ground within 10 to 20 hours furthermore in a surface EXP explosion about 70 to 80% of all the fishing products produced descend in the form of close in Fallout the second intermediate Fallout tends to descend very slowly although gravitational settling has some effect on this downward diffusion of radioactive debris the primary cause for removal of such debris is precipitation this intermediate fall Fallout usually occurs within a few weeks after the detonation the third class of Fallout delayed is the result of the extreme Heights reached by the debris from thermonuclear explosions we actually know very little about the behavior of this high altitude debris eventually of course it too descends but this may take months or even years and by this time Decay has lessened the hazard we also know that stratospheric storage of radioactive debris serves to disperse it thus minimizing the chances of locally high concentrations for all intents and purposes then delayed Fallout is of much less concern to us than close in Fallout that which occurs within the first 10 to 20 hours to outline the areas of this Fallout to report the varied intensities of its field and to evaluate the hazards is our job since an enemy attack with nuclear weapons will almost certainly result in the contamination of large areas the survival of persons within these areas will depend upon us as members of the radiological defense team whether as monitors or radiological defense officers it is our job to detect measure analyze and make accurate judgments as to the hazards involved in a given Fallout field to carry out that responsibility we have to take precautions ourselves a red defense worker is of little use in an emergency if he's allowed himself to receive exposures in excess of the maximum permissible levels part of the equipment you'll use here are these personal dosimeters the first is the CDV 138 this is an iron chamber instrument as are the other two I'll show you in just a moment it has a range of from 0o to 200 millin because of this comparatively low range it can be used most effectively for training purposes the operating principle of the CDV 138 stated simply is this it is first charged to 160 volts this charge causes a quartz fiber to be repelled from a metal plate when exposed to radiation the air in the chamber surrounding the fiber is ionized and ion pairs are formed this decreases the charge and allows the fiber to again approach the plate by holding the dosimeter up to the light the fiber can be seen in relation to the scale the position of the fiber on the scale corresponds to the amount of radiation to which the instrument has been exposed the operation of this type of dosimeter is like that of a voltmeter the decreased voltage being converted and indicated as an increase in the absorbed radiation these other two dosimeters are the same in an operating principle they each have however an added condenser which allows a greater initial charge hence more radiation is needed to reduce that charge the CDV 730 has a range of from zero to 20 rkin while the CDV 740 registers from zero to 100 R the final type of dosimeter we'll use here at the site is the fil badge given to you upon your arrival the test site rad safe organization requires everyone to wear it inside the wrapper are two pieces of film one low range one high range between the two they will register from 25 millerin to 100 R the lead Shield cuts out beta and low energy gamas gamma rays passing through the lead Shield are powerful enough to penetrate 5 cm into the body thus constituting a Personnel Hazard the survey meters you'll use here are all multi-range instruments the CDV 700 is a portable survey meter utilizing a Geer tube as a detector it is sensitive to both beta and gamma radiation but its beta sensitivity is restricted to the moderate and high energy levels the Geer tube is encased in a shield it is gas filled and detects radiation through the ionization of that gas with the shield open it is sensitive to both beta and gamma radiation by closing the shield on the probe the instrument becomes sensitive to gamas only three ranges of operation are provided the times one scale requires 500 pulses per minute for full scale operation the times 10 scale 5,000 pulses and the times 100 scale 50,000 pulses per minute in terms of Mill renkins These readings correspond to 5/10 Mr hour 5 Mr hour and 50 Mr hour of radium equivalent radiation on the side of the instrument just beneath the name plate a beta source is provided for checking the operating capability of the instrument because of its low range the v700 is essentially a training instrument in addition however it is useful in personnel and vehicle monitoring inside the casing if you'll give me just a moment to remove the instrument you'll find the circuit box which comprises the batteries the high voltage Supply the pulse shaping and metering circuit and the calibration screw the other instrument we'll use is the CDV 710 this is a gamma measuring air ionization instrument with ranges of from 0 to 5/10 R 0 to 5 R and 0 to 50 R per hour the range selector switch also serves to indicate the zero and circuit check positions this particular instrument is zeroed by turning the control on until the needle indicates zero on the dial inside the 710 is much like the 700 with the addition of course of the ionization chamber this chamber is hermetically sealed to minimize the effects of temperature and to eliminate altitude and moisture factors the 710 will be the Workhorse in any attack situation the other instrument we have here today is a CDV 720 and although we won't be using it in our exercises it might be well to say a few words about it it too is an ionization chamber instrument but unlike the 710 can measure beta radiation the beta Shield is located on the bottom of the instrument and when opened exposes the beta window in the chamber the 720 is a high- range instrument and can measure up to 500 R per hour now if you will gentlemen and before we break for lunch please check out your survey meters and your dosimeters at 1300 today we'll meet back here for transportation to the Califor cration ranges those of you with the 700s will go to the range near the decontamination building the rest those with the 710s will go to the 200 cury Source just beyond the forward area checkpoint I think that's all for now gentlemen thank you very much for your attention since the survey meter is the sole means by which the monitor May detect and measure the varied intensities in a Fallout field accurate functioning of the instrument is of vital import importance operating as Twan survey teams the monitors calibrate their meters according to well defined procedures after waiting 30 seconds for the circuitry to stabilize operability of the instrument is checked by opening the beta shield and placing the probe next to the beta Source when the instrument is operating properly the indicator should fall between 1.5 mkans per hour and 2.5 millerin per hour power if the indicator Falls above or below this range the instrument is removed from the case and the calibration screw adjusted rotating the screw clockwise increases the reading while counterclockwise rotation decreases it when the instrument is reading properly it is returned to its case and the beta Shield is closed if the instrument does not respond to this procedure it will not calibrate properly and should be repaired the completion of these steps by all monitors is the signal for a known intensity source to be placed on the Range [Music] here a relatively small 30 mury Cobalt 60 source is being employed extending from The Source stand are seven wooden legs measured distances from 1 to 20 yards are marked on these legs taking into consideration the known strength of the source the monitors select one of these points at which the dose rate in millerin per hour has been calculated with the probe held carefully over the mark the intensity reading is noted and recorded using this Source at 5 yards the v700 should indicate 1.9 millerin per hour if it does not the scale reading is again corrected by rotation of the calibration screw the monitors then take readings at all points on the range at each subsequent point the reading is noted and loged no further adjustment of the calibration screw is made since the results for each instrument will be graphed and maintained as the meter's characteristics calibration of the v710 and higher range instruments is accomplished in much the same manner as with the v700 but warning signs and massive concrete shielding indicate the use of a source of much greater intensity Beyond this shielding radiation from the 200 cury Source in use here is so intense that it is necessary for calibration to be affected through the use of a [Music] telescope time and Care are necessary ingredients of this operation [Music] before the monitor can make an adjustment or move the meter The Source must be lowered into a 4,000lb lead Pig beneath the platform once the accuracy of the meters has been determined through calibration the monitors begin field exercises designed to give them practical experience in field survey techniques and procedures before moving into a Fallout field the monitors are briefed by the squad leader final reviews of communication and recordkeeping procedures are held grid maps of Fallout areas are studied then the monitors draw their equipment and move out for field exercises the ground monitors are organized as field survey squads with each Squad employing a Mobile Trailer equipped with survey meters handy talkies and higher power transmitters for Base Communications in the field the monitors in two or thre man survey teams will radio their readings to the squad leader and assistants back at the trailer for Relay to the radiological control center meanwhile Pilots of the aerial survey units ready their aircraft and instruments for their part in the exercise while here these Airborne monitors will develop altitude correlation factors for the v710 instrument and continue their study of aerial monitoring techniques inside the aircraft three v710 are installed with each meter set on a different range to eliminate the need for scale switching two aircraft will be used by the group with one flying crisscross broad survey flights and the other flying detailed patterns over markers drawn on the desert floor with line the main legs of these markers are existing roads and are 1 mile long with with cross lines every 1/10th mile several of these will be laid out so that at least one will be in the path of Fallout from a test device in Flight the aircraft will fly the full length of the primary leg of the pattern then bank right and fly the secondary leg it will then turn right and retrace its path over both legs in this manner each point in the pattern will be passed over from both directions the flight survey crew is composed of pilot location Spotter and re when the plane enters the pattern the spotter leans into position as the aircraft passes the 10th mile crosses he signals the reader who notes and logs the meter readings meanwhile at the radiological control center methods and procedures for the upcoming exercises are being evolved and perfected as messages from units in the field are received and recorded by trained radio Specialists they are relayed to the staff which is responsible for maintaining accurate records on the number and locations of units in the field in addition the staff will keep upto-date records of the accumulated doses of all survey Crews [Music] copies of incoming messages then go to the plotters on the basis of this field radiation data as posted by the plotters on maps of the area the radea chief is able to determine the boundaries of the Fallout field in addition to the ground and aerial unit resources of the combined group include a mobile laboratory despite the care and attention to detail taken to ensure the accuracy of field survey instruments certain Vital Information can only be determined through more precise measurements the mobile laboratory unit is equipped to perform this service by preparing and measuring samples brought in by the monitors highly trained laboratory technicians can provide accurate information based on the actual type of contamination thus significant departures from normal Decay rates can be determined this is important since isotope other than normal fishing products may be deposited as Fallout in such a situation stay time limits based on typical Fallout would become useless or would require modification hence samples of soil from Fallout fields are given top laboratory priority while the training units are developing and shaping their techniques and procedures activity leading up to the shot itself is underway throughout the week preceding a detonation a vast system of instruments is made ready to record necessary effect data the instruments range from inexpensive film Badges and thermal gauges to complex and costly Neutron detectors many of the instruments are close to ground zero and are damaged or destroyed almost at the instant of detonation but before they are destroyed they transmit their all important data nerve center of every operation at the test site is the control point at yaka pass overlooking both Frenchmen and yaka flats from it radiate the Myriad communication lines required to control such a complex operation into and out of it flows information from all over the world as well as from other areas of the test site itself the instrument panel in the control room reflects these intricate operations control of experiments is provided by a sequence timer located here this device transmits signals which activate electronic systems secure blast prooof doors start Ultra fast cameras and in some cases arm and fire the device itself these and hundreds of other details must be taken care of in proper order and at precise times if the necessary data is to be obtained as H hour approaches night weather briefings by test site meteorologists are conducted for unit project officers gentlemen that seems to be the picture as of the moment with regard to your operation prospects for Fallout within the Nevada test site and the adjacent bombing and Gunnery Range are good the winds as they are now will result in very little offsite Fallout if the winds maintain their present Direction and this I'm sure will make you fly boys happy The Fallout should pass directly over station marker number two any questions okay good night happy Fallout honey everyone has waited for this moment now an actual situation is in the making a situation that barring enemy attack cannot be duplicated anywhere in the United States everything that has gone before the careful Planning Development of techniques and review of procedures has led to this all along the line the units begin to function the rad Chief and operations officer re-evaluate their Fallout prediction based on the latest weather information Communications are established between the radiological control center Center and the operating units in the field every man every unit in proper [Music] position then the LA long wait before the final minute is counted [Music] off h8 - 1 minutes put on goggles or turn away do not remove goggles or face burst until Fireball dissipate [Music] 30 Seconds To Zero time 25 seconds 20 seconds 15 seconds 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Brilliance of the Sun the awesome Sound and Fury of the atom split apart this is nuclear explosion [Applause] high above the desert the atomic Cloud hangs until wind begins to scatter it already tiny radioactive fishing products adhering to debris are starting to fall within the hour the largest will reach the ground later when on-site Fallout has occurred monitors of the permanent rad safe unit penetrate the shot area once the Fallout field has been surveyed and the level of radioactivity certified as being within permissible limits the test groups May begin their exercises taking off from Mercury airstrip the two aerial survey planes head for the shot area one will fly the marker pattern the other will crisscross The Fallout [Music] field approaching the marker the pattern aircraft descends to 1,000 ft for the first run tricky this desert flying thermal updrafts and swirling edies complicate the Pilot's job of maintaining altitude and course the crew seeks to establish altitude correlation factors for the v710 instrument what is the dose rate at 1,000 ft and how does it compare with the reading on the ground since the aircraft passes identification points at 70 knots allowance must be made for the meters time lag Factor what Corrections then need be made for this ballistic effect what is the shielding or attenuation factor of the aircraft itself the answers to these and other questions are found only by flying an exact pattern and by making precise readings down the plane drops to 800 ft the pattern is repeating and and so it goes until the last run a mere 200 ft above the desert floor to correlate the readings thus obtained with ones taken from a stationary position a helicopter is used as soon as the last pattern is completed the whirly bird moves in to repeat the process but this time because of the copter ability to hover the ballistic effect of the meter is overcome at each altitude and over each 10th mile marker readings are taken right down to the desert floor meanwhile the second aircraft is completing its Mission using roads and other topographical marks it crisscrossed the fallout area to determine its boundaries and intensities these readings will be compared with those taken by the ground survey groups Fanning out from their trailer headquarters the ground monitors rapidly cover the area to minimize personal exposure and to gather the needed information as quickly as possible the crews move in with Jeeps readings are taken at each mile post and other predetermined landmarks the monitor quickly moves into the desert for several yards to eliminate any shielding effect of the vehicle all four major Compass points are faced to obtain an accurate reading these monitors wear coverall type clothing provided by the permanent rad safe unit the clothing AIDS in Personnel decontamination when necessary by minimizing body contact with radioactive dust as the driver heads for the next location the reader logs his findings position time and intensity are carefully [Music] noted at subsequent stops the steps are repeated while the monitor is taking his reading the driver radios information from the previous stop to the squad leader at the mobile trailer at the trailer the reported reading is recorded then the written record passed on to the squad leader who transfers the location intensity levels and time to grid maps of the area this information is then relayed via Base radio to the control center where reports from all units are flowing in here again the message is recorded and the written record passed on to the staff where it is [Music] logged after posting on the resources map the field in information is sent on to the plot staff grid Maps identical with those at the trailers are used to plot The Fallout once the information has been plotted it is passed on to the operations officer and the RF chief on these two men rests the responsibility for drawing The Fallout picture in an actual attack situation the lives of many people might depend on their ability to accurate ly plot and evaluate the [Music] Fallout gradually the limits and intensities of the field are established slowly at first then rapidly as more of the units report [Music] finally The Fallout picture is complete properly evaluated by trained radiological defense officers these multicolored ISO intensity lines mean more than 10,000 words they might mean the difference between life and death in an attack situation not here in Nevada of course because every precaution is taken to ensure that off-site Fallout is minimal but in the event of enemy attack in towns and cities in villages and hamlets on farms anywhere and everywhere in our nation Services established to minimize the effects of nuclear attack could function effectively only by having accurate information on the boundaries and intensities of Fallout Fields Police and Fire Departments medical and Welfare Services all would rely on the Judgment of the radiological defense staff as the constantly changing pattern of radiation Hazard is drawn and so men come to Nevada to work and plan for the day that all hope Never Comes but until the international trust is firmly secured still others will come to train for civil defense [Music]