at the southeast corner, Nam on the northwest rim, Enidrik
on the southeast rim, and Aerokojlol on the south rim. All
eight of the passes at Bikini cut through the elongated
south rim of the atoll, with the longest (16 km) and
shallowest (5–20 m depth) pass at the southeast corner
of the atoll just west of Eneu Island. A cluster of seven narrow but deep passes (>30 m) bisect the southwest perimeter reef. The prevailing northeast trade winds generate
wind waves that break on windward reefs and, via wave
set-up, continually drives water across the reef flats into
the northeastern lagoon regardless of the state of the tide.
These cooler waters then sink toward the bottom of the
lagoon, spiral within broad cells, and eventually discharge
through the passes and over leeward western reef crests
(Figure 3). The eastern lagoon is calm and sheltered from
the trade winds by the eastern perimeter reef and islands.
Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands, Figure 1 Vicinity map of eastern Micronesia and the Marshall Islands (after the Bikini Atoll
Rehabilitation Committee, 1987).
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BIKINI ATOLL, MARSHALL ISLANDS