Doses from External Irradiation to Marshall Islanders from Bikini and Enewetak Nuclear Weapons Tests

A groundbreaking study quantifies the annual external radiation doses received by Marshall Islanders from fallout of 65 atmospheric nuclear tests conducted at Bikini and Enewetak Atolls between 1946 and 1958. For the first time, researchers estimated doses for inhabitants across all 23 populated atolls, using test-specific survey data, cesium-137 deposition models, and fallout timing records. These findings, combined with internal irradiation estimates from companion studies, provide critical data to assess cancer risks in the Marshallese population due to nuclear testing exposure.

Bouville, A., Beck, H. L., & Simon, S. L. (2010). DOSES FROM EXTERNAL IRRADIATION TO MARSHALL ISLANDERS FROM BIKINI AND ENEWETAK NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTS. Health Physics, 99(2), 143–156. https://doi.org/10.1097/hp.0b013e3181dc521d