title: Detection of uranium from cosmos-1402 in the stratosphere.
abstract: The nuclear reactor from the Soviet radar reconnaissance satellite, Cosmos-1402, reentered the earth's atmosphere on 7 February 1983 and disintegrated over the South Atlantic Ocean. The reactor was powered by approximately 50 kilograms of uranium-235 ((235)U). In an effort to determine the fate of the reactor core, a series of aerosol samples were collected at altitudes between 27 and 36 kilometers in the Northern Hemisphere approximately 1.1 years later by high-altitude balloons. At an altitude of 36 kilometers a 53 +/- 20 percent excess in the (235)U concentration was measured. The total excess of (235)U in the stratosphere was calculated to be 44 +/- 15 kilograms.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leifer
authors.forename: Z R
authors.initials: ZR
authors.lastname: Juzdan
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Fassett
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Eberhardt