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OFF-SITE MONITORING FOR THE MIGHTY OAK NUCLEAR TEST
Citation:
Black, S., A. Smith, AND C. Costa. OFF-SITE MONITORING FOR THE MIGHTY OAK NUCLEAR TEST. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/4-86/030 (NTIS DE86014090).
Description:
After a nuclear explosives test, code name Mighty Oak, the tunnel leading to the test point became contaminated with radioactive debris. To re-enter and recover valuable equipment and data, the DOE purged the tunnel air using particulate and charcoal filters to minimize discharge of radioactivity to the atmosphere. During this purging, the EPA established special air samples supplementing their routine air monitoring networks. Analysis of the collected samples for radioactive noble gases and for gamma-emitting radionuclides indicated that only low levels of xenon-133 were released in amounts detectable in populated areas near the Nevada Test Site. The maximum dose to an individual was calculated to be 0.36 microrem, assuming that person remained in the open field at the measurement site during the whole period of the purging.