Atomic bomb testing

July 16. First atomic bomb test at Aamogordo, New Mexico, under the code name Manhattan Project. ... 

The gross flux of carbon from atmosphere to ocean is thus ca. 80 Pg C/yr. There are several complications with the above calculation. The isotopic ratios must be steady-state values, which are unavailable due to the changes resulting from atmospheric atom bomb testing. The few available pre-bomb measurements from the late 1950s (Broecker et ah, 1960) together with determinations in corals (Druffel and Linick, 1978) are invaluable tools for determin-... 

Let s calculate the mass that was converted into energy in the first atomic bomb test. Measurements on the ground indicated that the explosive force of the bomb was equivalent to 37,200,000 pounds (16,874,000 kg) of TNT. That is so much TNT that scientists now measure atomic bomb explosions in kilotons (kt) of TNT. A kiloton is equal to 1,000 tons or 2,000,000 pounds (907,185 kg). Using the new units, the yield of the first bomb would be ... 

Reference materials for radioisotopes have mainly been used for purposes relating to nuclear and radiation safety. Historically, the development of such materials first arose from the need to assess the risk to human populations caused by worldwide contamination of food and the environment as a consequence of atomic bomb testing - particularly from bombs exploded in the atmosphere. Even now, although atmospheric testing ceased many years ago, the residues from these tests still remain the main source of radionuclides such as Cs and °Sr in the global environment (though locally, other sources may be more important in some countries). 

At the same time, the public s faith in science and technology was eroding. Radioactive fallout from atomic bomb tests was poisoning cows milk, and the thalidomide antinausea medicine prescribed to pregnant women in Europe had caused severe birth defects in 8000 children. Above all, the enormous growth of the chemical industry and pollution after World War II put public pressure on Congress to clean up the nation s air and water. 

Table I. Total atmospheric release of long-tired dose-relevant fission radioisotopes and actinides from the atomic bomb tests and the Chernobyl reactor explosion...

Isotope Atomic bomb tests Chernobyl accident Chernobyl 30 km zone3-5 Western Europe ... 

Table 4. Calculated fractious of U7Cs and wSr in Swiss soil samples contaminated by fallout from previous (40 years agoI atmospheric atomic bomb testing I component AI and from the 1986 Chernobyl accident (component C) (reference date I January 20031... 

In the early 1980 s, Gough directed OTA s congressionally mandated oversight of Executive Branch studies of cancer in veterans of atom bomb tests and of the health of Vietnam veterans. He chaired a Department of Veterans Affairs advisory committee (1987-90) about the possible health effects of herbicides used in Vietnam and the Department of Health and Human Services committee (1990-95) that advises the United States Air Force study of the health of Air Force personnel who sprayed Agent Orange in Vietnam. In September 2000, he accepted reappointment to the DHHS committee. In 1995, he served on the Environmental Protection Agency s Science Advisory Board committee that evaluated EPA s dioxin reassessment. 

Komura measured. ° Bi in water filters used at the Scott Base in Antarctica and in the surface soils in Japan. " Bi is though to be a fallout from atomic bomb tests. The levels of Bi in these samples were found to be nearly the same or a little higher than those of fallout °Co and the Bi Cs activity ratios were in the range of 0.001-0.018. Contamination of bismuth by ° Bi was found in high-purity bismuth on sale and its level was measured to be 1.9mBqg Bi. 

One radioactive isotope of strontium, strontium-90, is of special interest. It is a toxic substance, which, at one time, was the cause of great concern because of its connection to atomic bomb testing. 

At the Bikini Atom Bomb Tests in 1946, my title was Chief Phenom-enologist. John Magee and 1 had the job of predicting all of the different... 

A key pioneer in the development of the Anger camera was the late William G. Myers of Ohio State University. As a graduate student at Ohio State, Bill s PhD. thesis was on the potential role of the cyclotron in biomedicine as the source of positron-emitting radiotracers. Bill had participated in the atomic bomb testing at Bikini prior to becoming an internist and nuclear physician. He traveled every summer to the Donner Laboratory to direct a course in the use of radioactive tracers in biomedicine. 

Third, atomic bomb tests in the west may have contaminated areas later used as ranges for conventional ordnance. Radioactive elements in the early atom bombs have a half-life of 12,000 years. Thus, these areas are just about as radioactive now as they were 60 years ago. Ranges in suspected atomic bomb test plumes should be surveyed prior to ordnance recovery work. Radio assay of groundwater or drinking water also requires substantial expertise. 

Early fireball of a postwar atomic bomb test. I could see a great bare eyeball, Michihiko Hachiya dreamed after Hiroshima, bigger than life, hovering over my head, staring point-blank at me. ... 

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