Document Details
Title:
OPERATION HARDTACK-PROJECT 8.8, THERMAL RADIATION FROM LOW-YIELD NUCLEAR BURSTS, APRIL-OCTOBER 1958 (DELETED)
Author(s):
REED, J W [AIR FORCE CAMBRIDGE RESEARCH LABORATORY]; GAUVIN, H P [AIR FORCE CAMBRIDGE RESEARCH LABORATORY]; CAHILL, J P [AIR FORCE CAMBRIDGE RESEARCH LABORATORY]; GRENIER, J W [AIR FORCE CAMBRIDGE RESEARCH LABORATORY]; BAKER, D J [AIR FORCE CAMBRIDGE RESEARCH LABORATORY]; STAIR, A T [AIR FORCE CAMBRIDGE RESEARCH LABORATORY]
Subject Terms:
HARDTACK II OPERATION; THERMAL RADIATION; NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS; MEASURING METHODS; SPECTROSCOPY; EQUIPMENT; PROCEDURES
Document Location:
Location - DOE/NNSA NUCLEAR TESTING ARCHIVE Address - P.O. Box 98521 City - Las Vegas State - NV Zip - 89193-8521 Phone - (702)794-5106 Fax - (702)862-4240 Email - NTA@NV.DOE.GOV
Document Type:
REPORT
Publication Date:
1962 Jan 15
Declassification Status:
Sanitized
Document Pages:
0047
Accession Number:
NV0051017
Document Number(s):
WT1675EX
Originating Research Org.:
AIR FORCE CAMBRIDGE RESEARCH LABORATORY
OpenNet Entry Date:
1994 Aug 26
OpenNet Modified Date:
2003 Sep 18
Description/Abstract:
THE OBJECTIVE OF PROJECT 8.8 DURING THE NEVADA TEST SITE PHASE OF OPER ATION HARDTACK WAS TO INVESTIGATE THE THERMAL PHENOMENA RESULTING FROM THE DETONATION OF FRACTIONAL-KILOTON-YIELD NUCLEAR DEVICES. MEASUREM ENTS WERE MADE BY THE AIR FORCE CAMBRIDGE RESEARCH LABORATORIES ON SIX BURSTS WITH YIELDS LESS THAN 1 KT. TO PROVIDE CORRELATION WITH THE D ATA, ADDITIONAL MEASUREMENTS WERE MADE ON FOUR BURSTS WITH YIELDS GREA TER THAN A KILOTON. TO MEASURE THERMAL IRRADIANCE AS A FUNCTION OF TI ME, WAVELENGTH, AND DISTANCE, TWO STATIONS WERE INSTRUMENTED WITH SPEC TROSCOPIC RADIATION DETECTORS COVERING THE SPECTRUM FROM 0.2 MICRONS T O 1.0 MICRONS IN FOUR BANDS. A BOLOMETER WAS USED TO MEASURE TOTAL TH ERMAL IRRADIANCE AND A CALORIMETER TO MEASURE TOTAL THERMAL ENERGY. T HE DATA WAS RECORDED USING MULTICHANNEL MAGNETIC-TAPE-RECORDING SYSTEM S. TO SUPPLEMENT THE ELECTRONICALLY RECORDED INFORMATION, CAMERAS REG ISTERED SPECTROSCOPIC AND DOCUMENTARY DATA. THERMAL MEASUREMENTS WERE OBTAINED FROM 10 SHOTS. THE TIME HISTORIES OF THE PULSES SHOW GENERA L AGREEMENT (WITH SOME SYSTEMATIC VARIATIONS) WITH PREVIOUSLY DETERMIN ED SCALING LAWS, PARTICULARLY FOR TIMES TO THERMAL MINIMUM AND SECOND MAXIMUM. THE RATIO OF SPECTRAL IRRADIANCE AT FIRST THERMAL MAXIMUM TO SECOND THERMAL MAXIMUM DECREASED WITH INCREASING YIELD (ABOVE 100 TON S) AND INCREASING WAVELENGTH (EXCLUSIVE OF SHOT SOCORRO).