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Downwinders were individuals and communities in the intermountain West between the Cascade and Rocky Mountain ranges primarily in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah but also in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho who were exposed to radioactive contamination or nuclear fallout from atmospheric or underground nuclear weapons testing, and nuclear accidents.[1][2]
More generally, the term can also include those communities and individuals who are exposed to ionizing radiation and other emissions due to the regular production and maintenance of coal ash, nuclear weapons, nuclear power, nuclear waste, and geothermal energy.[3] In regions near U.S. nuclear sites, downwinders may be exposed to releases of radioactive materials into the environment that contaminate their groundwater systems, food chains, and the air they breathe. Some downwinders may have suffered acute exposure due to their involvement in uranium mining and nuclear experimentation.[4]
Several severe adverse health effects, such as an increased incidence of cancers, thyroid diseases, CNS neoplasms, and possibly female reproductive cancers that could lead to congenital malformations have been observed in Hanford, Washington, "downwind" communities exposed to nuclear fallout and radioactive contamination.[5] The impact of nuclear contamination on an individual is generally estimated as the result of the dose of radiation received and the duration of exposure, using the linear no-threshold model (LNT). Sex, age, race, culture, occupation, class, location, and simultaneous exposure to additional environmental toxins are also significant, but often overlooked, factors that contribute to the health effects on a particular "downwind" community.[6]
^Grossman, C M, W E Morton, and R H Nussbaum. "Hypothyroidism And Spontaneous Abortions Among Hanford, Washington, Downwinders." Archives Of Environmental Health 51.3 (1996): 175-176. MEDLINE with Full Text. Web. 7 May 2015.
^Morales, Laurel. "Nation Recognizes Nuclear Test Downwinders". Archived from the original on 2020-03-03. Retrieved 2015-09-01.
^http://www.epa.gov/radiation/tenorm/geothermal.html Geothermal Energy Production Waste.
^Simon, Steven L. “Radiation Doses To Local Populations Near Nuclear Weapons Test Sites Worldwide,” Health Physics. 82(5):706-725, May 2002
^Cancers among Residents Downwind of the Hanford, Washington, Plutonium Production Site. By: Grossman, Charles M., Nussbaum, Rudi H., Nussbaum, Fred D., Archives of Environmental Health, 00039896, May2003, Vol. 58, Issue 5
^Dr. Arjun Mahkijani, "Science for the Vulnerable: Setting Radiation and Multiple Exposure Environmental Health Standards to Protect Those Most at Risk," October 19, 2006: http://www.ieer.org/campaign/report.pdf Archived 2012-02-08 at the Wayback Machine
Downwinders were individuals and communities in the intermountain West between the Cascade and Rocky Mountain ranges primarily in Arizona, Nevada, New...
Chief Xavier Downwind a.k.a. Red Fang (December 24, 1893 – July 26, 1968) was a professional football player who played in the National Football League...
approves New Mexico Downwinders' inclusion in RECA amendment". KOB.com. Retrieved 2023-07-31. Gorman, Steven J. (1990-10-16). "'Downwinders' to receive compensation...
i.e., towards the direction from which the wind is coming; leeward is downwind from the point of reference, i.e., along the direction towards which the...
wind), a craft is running downwind. A given point of sail (beating, close reach, beam reach, broad reach, and running downwind) is defined in reference...
and opposite the downwind leg. Crosswind leg. A short climbing flight path at right angles to the departure end of the runway. Downwind leg. A long level...
Washington and into parts of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and British Columbia. Downwinders were exposed to radionuclides, particularly iodine-131, with the heaviest...
able to manoeuvre at will toward any downwind point, since the relative wind then moves aft. A vessel downwind of another, in attempting to attack upwind...
to water evaporation from lakes, lake-effect snowfall becomes a concern downwind of the warm lakes within the cold cyclonic flow around the backside of...
A gennaker is a sail that was developed around 1990. Used when sailing downwind, it is a cross between a genoa and a spinnaker. It is not symmetric like...
mark on the correct side (weather side if upwind tacking, leeward side if downwind jibing). How to hit the right layline, Yachts and Yachting Magazine Lay...
archived from the original. "ROCKY FLATS DOWNWINDERS | A community organization advocating for residents living downwind from Rocky Flats". rockyflatsdownwinders...
cloud is formed downwind of the upper slopes of isolated, steep-sided mountains. It is created by the low pressure areas in the downwind vortices drawing...
right of downwind being positive and to the left being negative. A leeway angle of zero degrees indicates that the craft drifts directly downwind. See figure...
on September 19, 2008. Retrieved June 11, 2008. "Living, and coughing, downwind of Texas smoke stacks". phys.org. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved January...
hot and dry during the summer months. The heaviest precipitation occurs downwind of water bodies due to the prevailing westerlies, with higher amounts also...
to make observations of the night sky due to Georgetown being located downwind of orographic cloud emanating from Green Mountain. Isobel quickly endeavoured...
large shed and scattering debris from two grain bins 0.5 mi (0.80 km) downwind. Two other farmsteads sustained high-end EF1 damage. Numerous trees and...
dinghy sailors, a death roll is a common type of oscillation while running downwind. It may, and often will, result in a capsize and even a full inversion...
gybe (Britain) is a sailing maneuver whereby a sailing vessel reaching downwind turns its stern through the wind, which then exerts its force from the...
to downsloped winds, and causing the formation of a low pressure area downwind to the east of the mountains. Increased westerly flow off the Rockies force...
to ten hailstorms per season. To the north of this area and also just downwind of the Rocky Mountains is the Hailstorm Alley region of Alberta, which...
the standards of the time. The lateen rig was less useful when sailing downwind – which explains Christopher Columbus (Italian: Cristoforo Colombo) re-rigging...
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