Knowra Johnston Atoll Johnston Atoll Johnston Atoll is a remote U.S. territory in the North Pacific, composed of four small islands and a surrounding coral reef. It was a military site and is now part of a national wildlife refuge.
Johnston Island : The largest island of Johnston Atoll, extensively enlarged through military construction and land reclamation. It became the atoll’s main military and administrative site.
Pacific Ocean : The largest ocean on Earth, extending between Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Johnston Atoll lies in its central North Pacific region.
Land reclamation : The creation or expansion of usable land by filling water or building up submerged areas. Dredging and fill greatly enlarged Johnston Island for military facilities.
Nuclear fallout : Radioactive particles and debris dispersed through the atmosphere after a nuclear detonation. Testing at Johnston raised concerns about radioactive debris and contamination.
Operation Dominic : A 1962 series of U.S. nuclear tests in the Pacific, including high-altitude detonations near Johnston Atoll. The tests made the atoll a launch site for nuclear experiments.
Coral atoll : A ring-shaped coral reef or island system enclosing a lagoon, usually formed around a subsiding volcanic island. Johnston’s reef and islands form an atoll system.
Military base : A site used by armed forces for operations, training, logistics, or administration. The atoll functioned as a remote U.S. military installation.
Environmental contamination : The introduction of harmful substances into air, water, or land. Military operations and weapons disposal left contamination requiring assessment and cleanup.
Operation Fishbowl : A set of high-altitude nuclear tests conducted by the United States in 1962. Several tests were launched from Johnston Atoll.
United States Minor Outlying Islands : A collective designation for several small, mostly uninhabited U.S. island territories. Johnston Atoll is commonly grouped with these remote U.S. possessions.
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