Radioactive Dust from Nuclear Detonations

A network of 121 monitoring stations has been established in the US to collect airborne and settled dust samples for radioactive assay. The results from 30,000 samples collected in conjunction with the 8 detonations in Nevada between April 1 and June 4, 1953 are given. For brief periods following an explosion the radioactive background can be increased in distant areas by fallout of airborne dust.