Photographs of the high-altitude nuclear explosion ‘Teak’
Journal Article
·
· Journal of Geophysical Research
A sequence of four photographs of the August 1, 1958, high-altitude nuclear explosion "Teak" near Johnston Island in the Pacific is shown. These photographs were taken from Maui, Hawaii, at an altitude of 3050 meters and 1300 km from the explosion. Three main featares of these photographs are evident and are discussed: an auroral arc directed southward: an expanding envelope; and an airglow cloud. The auroral arc extending southward from the explosion is interpreted as the glow produced by a stream of beta -decay electrons directed along the earth's magnetic field. This arc apparently extended into the southern hemisphere and was observed from Apia, Samoa. The expanding envelope is interpreted as an excitationrecombination phenomenon produced by an expanding shock front. By assuming an average speed of propagation of 1.3 km/sec of the shock front, the times at which the photographs were taken are estimated. The airglow cloud is interpreted as a residue of ionized material having a lifetime estimated at 15 to 30 minutes. Assuming an electron density of 10 times the normal F/sub 2-/region value, an effective recombination coefficient of 10 times the normal F/sub 2/ value is obtained. The airglow cloud ascended at a rate of approximately 1000 m/sec and expanded horizontally at a rate of approximately 300 m/sec.
- Research Organization:
- High Altitude Observatory, Climax, Colo.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- NSA Number:
- NSA-14-009256
- OSTI ID:
- 4164758
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 65; ISSN 0148-0227
- Publisher:
- American Geophysical Union
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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