Castle Bravo

Samples from the following events were analyzed Castle Bravo, Castle Koon, Redwing LaCrosse, Redwing Zuni, Redwing Tewa, and from Johnie Boy. Koon samples from three different altitudes were analyzed but only one of the Johnie Boy samples (842L). Additional Johnie Boy samples have been analyzed by Russell (6). Details of all events and samples are reported elsewhere in this volume (5), except for LaCrosse and for Tewa. LaCrosse was a coral surface burst of about 40 kilotons whose cloud topped out at 12,000 meters. The sample analyzed (054) was collected at 6500 meters and at 2.6 hours after the event. 

In 1978, it was determined that for the inhabitants of Bikini Atoll a tenfold increase in the body content of the radionuclide Cs had occurred (Miltenberger et al., 1980). This increase was the result of a combination of the coconut trees starting to bear fruit and a drought that led to increased consumption of coconut fluid. Apart from assessments of the long-term impacts on the Bikinians, studies have been conducted on service personnel and Japanese fishermen exposed, in particular, as a consequence of the Castle Bravo test (Klenm et al., 1986 Kumatori et al., 1980 Eisenbud, 1987 Sharp and Chapman, 1957). 

Klemm, J. Goetz, J., Phillips, J. and Thomas, C., Analysis of Radiation Exposure to Service Personnel on Rongerik Atoll, Operation Castle, Shot Bravo, SAIC-86/1608, Science Applications International Corp., La Jolla, CA (1986). 

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