Distribution Coefficient Data and Preliminary Estimates of Movement of Radionuclides, Tatum Salt Dome, Lamar County, Mississippi. Technical Letter: Dribble 31

摘要

Estimates are made relating radionuclide movement to ground water velocity as part of the safety program for a proposed experiment to detonate nuclear devices within the Tatum salt dome. The estimates are based on distribution coefficients obtained from laboratory studies. Core samples obtained from hydrologic test well HT-3, Tatum salt dome, Lamar County, Mississippi, were equilibrated with radionuclides in solutions simulating aquifer waters found in the area. The combinations of Cenozoic sand and silty clay, and quality of water of the area were studied and summarized. The distribution coefficients obtained for different radionuclides were tested and indicate retardation factors from 1.3 to 857 for the travel time of these radionuclides when compared to the travel time of water in the aquifer system. Laboratory results indicate that migration of any radioisotope inadvertently introduced to the aquifers in the vicinity of the dome as a result of proposed nuclear test explosions would be extremely slow. Revised estimates of the rate of dissolved radioisotope movement will be made on the basis of further laboratory studies utilizing chromatographic adsorption columns of 0.5 to 4.0 feet in length.