High explosive nuclear effects testing

High explosive nuclear effects testing comprises large scale field tests using conventional high explosives as alternatives to atmospheric nuclear testing.

Minor Scale test at the White Sands Missile Range utilized 4880 tons of ANFO to simulate an equivalent airblast of a tactical nuclear weapon.

Background

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When the Limited Test Ban Treaty came into effect in 1963, nuclear testing in the atmosphere was prohibited. However, alternatives to atmospheric nuclear testing were required to continue the study of nuclear weapons effects.[1] These would allow obtaining data related to air-blast, ground-shock, structure-response data, bio-medical effects, and other various phenomena. Large scale field tests using conventional high explosives were devised to this end.

Events

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The following is a list of such events with yields of more than 1000 pounds.[2]

Name Series Date Test site Country Max yield (pounds) Shots Explosive Type HOB (feet) Notes
Trinity (100-ton Test on tower) Trinity 7 May 1945 White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico United States 216,000 1 TNT, Composition B. Airburst/Tower 20 Calibration test preceding the first nuclear explosion
Dahlgren NOL 22 Sept-18 Nov 1952 Dahlgren, Virginia United States 4,200 28 TNT Mk 7 Depth charge Underwater -2.3 to -5.4 Obtain data on the scaling of surface phenomena from shallow underwater explosions and studies of base surge and water formation.
Jangle HE 1-4 Jangle 25 Aug 1951 - 9 Sept 1951 Nevada Test Site, Area 10 United States 40,000 4 TNT
  • Underground
  • Surface
0 to -6.9 Scaled predictions for shallow underground and surface nuclear tests. Wave forms, scale and model laws.
Jangle HE 5-10 Jangle 25 Aug 1951 - 9 Sept 1951 Nevada Test Site, Area 5 United States 2,560 6 TNT, Pentolite Surface -1 to -3 Base surge and cratering phenomena studies, ground activity differences with pentolite.
Dugway Underground Explosion Test Program 5 May 1951 - 13 Nov 1951
  • Dugway Proving Ground, Utah
  • Unaweep Canyon, Colorado
  • Buckhorn Wash, Utah
United States 320,000 68 TNT Underground -7 to -35 To study the generation and propagation of explosive waves from underground detonations and the effects of these waves on underground structures. To compare cratering in dry sand, clay, wet clay, limestone, granite, and sandstone.
Pacific Proving Ground HE Pacific Proving Ground Early 1952 Eniwetok, Eugelab Island Marshall Islands 40,000 5 R-7-HDA (C2) and R-7-HCA (Tetrytal) Surface 0 Comparison of saturated coral with Nevada soil.
Mississippi Waterways Experiment Station 1952 Mississippi River near Vicksburg, Mississippi United States 2,048 3 TNT Underwater Determine effects of a 20-kt nuclear explosion in water depths typical of harbor areas.
Sevier Bridge NOL 24 Nov 1953 Sevier Bridge Reservoir, Salt Lake City, Utah United States 90,000 1 TNT Mk 14 Demolition Underwater -11.1 Scale the base surge of a high-explosive in shallow water with Test Baker of Operation Crossroads at Bikini.
Cowboy Plowshare 18 Dec 1959 - 4 Mar 1960 Carey Salt Mine, Winnfield, Louisiana United States 2,000 15 Pelletol 1 Underground -45 to -110 Determine whether exploding an HE charge in the center of an underground sphere would produce seismic decoupling of the shock wave.
Suffield 1959 Suffield 27 Jul 1959 - 10 Dec 1959 Suffield Experimental Station, Alberta Canada 10,000 5 TNT Surface 0 Compare airblast effectiveness of ground burst cast TNT charges and those made up from a large number of cast blocks of TNT detonated in contact with frozen and unfrozen prairie.
Buckboard Plowshare Jun - Sept 1960 Nevada Test Site, Area 10 United States 40,000 13 TNT Underground -5 to -60 Cratering tests comparing effects of yield, depth of burst, and surrounding medium. Included study of seismic signals.
Scooter Plowshare 13 Oct 1960 Nevada Test Site, Area 10, Yucca Flat United States 1,000,000 1 TNT Underground -125 Provide technical and scientific information concerning the mechanics of crater formation by large underground chemical explosions and to relate craters produced by chemical and nuclear explosives. Included observations of ground motion, crater dimensions, throwout distribution, and a clarification of scaling laws.
Stagecoach I, II, III Plowshare 15-25 Mar 1960 Nevada Test Site, Area 10 United States 40,000 3 TNT Underground -17 to -80 Verify and refine apparent departures from cube-root scaling . Tasks included blast geometry, seismic measurements, and throwout distribution, pressure measurements, and other cratering phenomena.
Suffield 1960 Suffield 18 Aug 1960 Suffield Experimental Station, Alberta Canada 40,000 1 TNT, Tetryol booster Surface 0 Measure blast effects, including outgoing shock and blast waves and various ground effects.
Edwards AF Base Edwards AF Base 18 Aug 1960 Edwards Air Force Base, California United States 10,000 3 TNT Airburst/Tower 0 - 13.5 Increase the scope and reliability of the scaling factor for damage to military vehicles from sub-kiloton yields.
Blowdown Dolphin 18 Jul 1963 Iron Range Test Site, Queensland Australia 100,000 1 TNT Airburst/Tower 136 Obtain data on tree blowdown and blast effects in a rainforest environment
Snowball Suffield 17 Jul 1964 Suffield Experimental Station, Alberta Canada 1,000,000 1 TNT Surface 0 Instrumentation development, blast, ground shock, electromagnetic and debris measurements as well as biomedical and underground target tests.
Alpha Sailor Hat 12-14 Nov 1964 San Clemente Island, CA United States 40,000 2 HBX Underwater -200 Test of underwater blast and shock in preparation for larger Sailor Hat tests
Bravo Sailor Hat 6 Feb 1965 Kahoʻolawe, Hawaii United States 1,000,000 1 TNT Surface 0 Effects of high energy airblast loading and underwater shock on surface ships and weapon systems, seaworthiness and mobility.
Charlie Sailor Hat 16 Apr 1965 Kahoʻolawe, Hawaii United States 1,000,000 1 TNT Surface 0 Effects of high energy airblast loading and underwater shock on surface ships and weapon systems, seaworthiness and mobility.
Delta Sailor Hat 9 Jun 1965 Kahoʻolawe, Hawaii United States 1,000,000 1 TNT Surface 0 Effects of high energy airblast loading and underwater shock on surface ships and weapon systems, seaworthiness and mobility.
Minor Scale 27 Jun 1985 White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico United States 9,488,000 1 ANFO Surface 0 Effects of high energy blasts on various military hardware, particularly new, blast-hardened launchers for the Midgetman ballistic missile.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Defense Special Weapons Agency, 1947–1997 the first 50 years of national service. DIANE Publishing. 1996. p. 16. ISBN 9781428981508. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  2. ^ E. L., Harner (March 1977). Guide to High Explosive Field Tests with Military Applications - Yields of 100 Pounds or More. Defence Technical Information Center. Retrieved 1 June 2017.[dead link]