Radiation Monitoring on the Nevada Test Site
National Atomic Testing Museum
Radiation Monitoring on the Nevada Test Site
Beginning in the 1950s, Reynolds Electrical & Engineering Company conducted radiation monitoring for test-related activities and later added routine environmental surveillance of air soil, vegetation, surface water, and wells. The University of California, Los Angeles, and several other western universities conducted detailed investigations of radiation effects on desert ecosystems. In 1970, the Nevada Applied Ecology Group started investigating the environmental impact of plutonium and other transuranics scattered in soil by "broken arrow" and other warhead safety tests. The 15-year investigation focused on the mobility and uptake of transuranics into the food chain
Radiation Monitoring For Underground Tests
Conducting nuclear tests underground greatly reduced the amount of radioactivity released into the atmosphere. Test-specific radiation detectors arrayed around surface ground zero supplemented the permanent remote area monitoring system and offsite monitors. If a release occurred, air support responded immediately to track the effluent and assist in determining its composition, intensity, and course. With the exception of a few Plowshare excavation experiments during the 1960s, and Baneberry in 1970, there were no releases of particulates that resulted in radioactive fallout offsite after testing went underground. Most offsite releases consisted of small concentrations of very short-lived radioactive xenon, a chemically inert noble gas.
Artifact Legend
1. Radector, late 1950s to late 1960s, Jordan Electronics and Victoreen Instrument Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
2. Beta and gamma Geiger counter (1960s), Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
3. Radector beta and gamma radiation ionization chamber, Jordan Electronic Manufacturing Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
4. Ionization chamber, Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from the National Nuclear Security Administration
5. Gamma ionization chamber, (1968), Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
6. Portable ionization chamber, Victoreen Instrument Corporation.
On loan from the National Nuclear Security Administration
7. Geiger counter, Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
8. Portable gamma ionization chamber, used by Office of Civil Defense 1950s, Victoreen Instrument Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
9. Beta and gamma Geiger counter with Muller tube, used by Office of Civil Defense 1950s, Anton Electronic Laboratories.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
10. Scintillation gamma ratemeter, model NE 148A, General Radiological Ltd., London.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
11. Beta and gamma Geiger counter/survey meter with Muller tube, early 1940s to early 1960s, Beckman Instrument Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
12. Pee Wee proportional alpha counter, one of the first manufactured, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (now LANL).
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
13. Radiacmeter alpha, beta, gamma ionization chamber, 1950s, Technical Associates.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada. Las Vegas, NV
14. Radiacmeter beta and gamma Geiger counter with Muller tube, Chatham Electronics.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
15. Beta and gamma "pancake" Geiger counter with Muller tube, Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
16. Gas proportional survey meter, Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
17. THYAC survey meter, beta and gamma Geiger counter Victoreen Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
18. Alpha counter scintillator with probe, mid 11960s to mid 1970s, Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
19. Beta and gamma Geiger counter with Muller tube, late 1950s, Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
20. Beta and gamma ionization chamber, mid 1960s, Victoreen Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
21. Juno alpha, beta, and gamma ionization chamber, 1950s, Technical Associates.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
22. Gamma dose rate meter, Gadora-1B, Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
23. Alpha gas proportional chamber, Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
24. Gamma ionization chamber, Radiac training set, late 1940s to early 1960s, manufactured by Tracelab, Incorporated.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
25. Beta and gamma ionization chamber/survey meter, "Cutie Pie 740", 1950s, Victoreen Instrument Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
26. Radgun beta and gamma ionization chamber, 1958 to late 1969, Jordan Electronics Company and Victoreen Instrument Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
27. Gamma radiation instrument with scintillation crystal detector, model Precision IIIB, mid 1950s to late 1960s, Precision Radiation Instruments.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
28. Ionization chamber/survey meter, "Cutie Pie 740-F", Victoreen Instrument Company.
On loan from the National Nuclear Security Administration
29. Fast/slow neutron survey meter from 1950s to early 1960s, manufactured by Radiation Counter Laboratory.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
30. Rad-Safe Monitor's Handbook.
Donated by LeRoy D. Holdren, Oakland, OR
31. Air sampler used at the Test Site in early 1950s manufactured by the Staplex Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
32. Area Monitor Rate Meter, manufactured by Baird Atomic.
On loan from the National Nuclear Security Administration
33. Radiac detector/charger, 1950s, manufactured by Kelley-Koett Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
34. Aluminum and lead absorber set used to demonstrate the effectiveness of shielding to radiation. Nuclear Chicago C101
On loan from the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History, Behring Center Ken Travis Collection
35. Minometer II used to detect and measure X and gamma radiation, 1960s to early 1970s, Victoreen Instrument Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
36. Dosimeter charger, 1950s, manufactured by Bendix Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
37. The "lead pig" is an early container for radioactive material being shipped or stored. Nuclear Chicago.
On loan from the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History, Behring Center Ken Travis Collection
38. Blueprints for a Nevada Test Site film badge holder.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
Radiation Monitoring on the Nevada Test Site
National Atomic Testing Museum
Radiation Monitoring on the Nevada Test Site
Beginning in the 1950s, Reynolds Electrical & Engineering Company conducted radiation monitoring for test-related activities and later added routine environmental surveillance of air soil, vegetation, surface water, and wells. The University of California, Los Angeles, and several other western universities conducted detailed investigations of radiation effects on desert ecosystems. In 1970, the Nevada Applied Ecology Group started investigating the environmental impact of plutonium and other transuranics scattered in soil by "broken arrow" and other warhead safety tests. The 15-year investigation focused on the mobility and uptake of transuranics into the food chain
Radiation Monitoring For Underground Tests
Conducting nuclear tests underground greatly reduced the amount of radioactivity released into the atmosphere. Test-specific radiation detectors arrayed around surface ground zero supplemented the permanent remote area monitoring system and offsite monitors. If a release occurred, air support responded immediately to track the effluent and assist in determining its composition, intensity, and course. With the exception of a few Plowshare excavation experiments during the 1960s, and Baneberry in 1970, there were no releases of particulates that resulted in radioactive fallout offsite after testing went underground. Most offsite releases consisted of small concentrations of very short-lived radioactive xenon, a chemically inert noble gas.
Artifact Legend
1. Radector, late 1950s to late 1960s, Jordan Electronics and Victoreen Instrument Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
2. Beta and gamma Geiger counter (1960s), Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
3. Radector beta and gamma radiation ionization chamber, Jordan Electronic Manufacturing Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
4. Ionization chamber, Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from the National Nuclear Security Administration
5. Gamma ionization chamber, (1968), Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
6. Portable ionization chamber, Victoreen Instrument Corporation.
On loan from the National Nuclear Security Administration
7. Geiger counter, Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
8. Portable gamma ionization chamber, used by Office of Civil Defense 1950s, Victoreen Instrument Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
9. Beta and gamma Geiger counter with Muller tube, used by Office of Civil Defense 1950s, Anton Electronic Laboratories.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
10. Scintillation gamma ratemeter, model NE 148A, General Radiological Ltd., London.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
11. Beta and gamma Geiger counter/survey meter with Muller tube, early 1940s to early 1960s, Beckman Instrument Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
12. Pee Wee proportional alpha counter, one of the first manufactured, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (now LANL).
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
13. Radiacmeter alpha, beta, gamma ionization chamber, 1950s, Technical Associates.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada. Las Vegas, NV
14. Radiacmeter beta and gamma Geiger counter with Muller tube, Chatham Electronics.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
15. Beta and gamma "pancake" Geiger counter with Muller tube, Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
16. Gas proportional survey meter, Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
17. THYAC survey meter, beta and gamma Geiger counter Victoreen Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
18. Alpha counter scintillator with probe, mid 11960s to mid 1970s, Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
19. Beta and gamma Geiger counter with Muller tube, late 1950s, Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
20. Beta and gamma ionization chamber, mid 1960s, Victoreen Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
21. Juno alpha, beta, and gamma ionization chamber, 1950s, Technical Associates.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
22. Gamma dose rate meter, Gadora-1B, Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
23. Alpha gas proportional chamber, Eberline Instrument Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
24. Gamma ionization chamber, Radiac training set, late 1940s to early 1960s, manufactured by Tracelab, Incorporated.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
25. Beta and gamma ionization chamber/survey meter, "Cutie Pie 740", 1950s, Victoreen Instrument Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
26. Radgun beta and gamma ionization chamber, 1958 to late 1969, Jordan Electronics Company and Victoreen Instrument Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
27. Gamma radiation instrument with scintillation crystal detector, model Precision IIIB, mid 1950s to late 1960s, Precision Radiation Instruments.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
28. Ionization chamber/survey meter, "Cutie Pie 740-F", Victoreen Instrument Company.
On loan from the National Nuclear Security Administration
29. Fast/slow neutron survey meter from 1950s to early 1960s, manufactured by Radiation Counter Laboratory.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
30. Rad-Safe Monitor's Handbook.
Donated by LeRoy D. Holdren, Oakland, OR
31. Air sampler used at the Test Site in early 1950s manufactured by the Staplex Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
32. Area Monitor Rate Meter, manufactured by Baird Atomic.
On loan from the National Nuclear Security Administration
33. Radiac detector/charger, 1950s, manufactured by Kelley-Koett Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
34. Aluminum and lead absorber set used to demonstrate the effectiveness of shielding to radiation. Nuclear Chicago C101
On loan from the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History, Behring Center Ken Travis Collection
35. Minometer II used to detect and measure X and gamma radiation, 1960s to early 1970s, Victoreen Instrument Company.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
36. Dosimeter charger, 1950s, manufactured by Bendix Corporation.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
37. The "lead pig" is an early container for radioactive material being shipped or stored. Nuclear Chicago.
On loan from the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History, Behring Center Ken Travis Collection
38. Blueprints for a Nevada Test Site film badge holder.
On loan from Bechtel Nevada, Las Vegas, NV