ABSTRACT

The presence of 50.5-day ⁸⁹Sr was detected in most of the rain samples collected at Fayetteville (36°N, 94°W), Arkansas, during the period between 20 February and 3 June, 1983. The pattern of variation of the ⁸⁹Sr/⁹⁰Sr ratio in rain indicates that the fresh nuclear debris came most likely from the nuclear reactor on board the Soviet satellite Cosmos-1402, which fell over the South Atlantic Ocean on 7 February, 1983.