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Science 10 August 1979:
Vol. 205. no. 4406, pp. 583 - 585
DOI: 10.1126/science.205.4406.583
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Articles

Atmospheric Burnup of the Cosmos-954 Reactor

P. W. KREY 1, R. LEIFER 1, W. K. BENSON 2, L. A. DIETZ 3, H. C. HENDRIKSON 3, and J. L. COLUZZA 3

1 Environmental Measurements Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, New York 10014
2 Division of International Security Affairs, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. 20585
3 Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, General Electric Company, Schenectady, New York 12301

On 24 January 1978 the Russian satellite Cosmos-954 reentered the atmosphere over northern Canada. By use of high-altitude balloons, the atmosphere was sampled during 1978 up to an altitude of 39 kilometers to detect particulate debris from the reactor on board the satellite. Enriched uranium-bearing aerosols at concentrations and particle sizes compatible with partial burnup of the Cosmos-954 reactor were detected only in the high polar stratosphere.

Submitted on March 20, 1979
Revised on June 15, 1979


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Detection of Uranium from Cosmos-1402 in the Stratosphere.
R. LEIFER, Z. R. JUZDAN, W. R. KELLY, J. D. FASSETT, and K. R. EBERHARDT (1987)
Science 238, 512-514
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