Document Details
Title:
OPERATION UPSHOT - KNOTHOLE, NEVADA PROVING GROUNDS, MARCH - JUNE 1953 - PROJECT 3.30 - AIR BLAST GAGE STUDIES
Author(s):
KINGERY, C N [BALLISTICS RESEARCH LABORATORY]; CLARKE, M F [BALLISTICS RESEARCH LABORATORY]
Subject Terms:
UPSHOT OPERATION; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; MEASURING METHODS; EQUIPMENT; SHOCK WAVES; BLAST EFFECTS; THERMAL RADIATION; UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE OPERATION
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:
1954 Jun 30
Declassification Status:
Declassified
Document Pages:
0062
Accession Number:
NV0051294
Document Number(s):
WT742
Originating Research Org.:
ARMED FORCES SPECIAL WEAPONS PROJECT
OpenNet Entry Date:
1994 Aug 26
OpenNet Modified Date:
2003 Sep 18
Description/Abstract:
THE PURPOSE OF PROJECT 3.30 OF OPERATION UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE WAS TO DEVELO P AND PROOF-TEST SELF-RECORDING GAGES FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF PRESSURE- TIME AND PEAK PRESSURE IN CONNECTION WITH AIR BLAST WAVES FROM NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS PURPOSE, PROTOTYPES WERE MANUFACTURED FOR THREE TYPES OF GAGES IN QUANTITIES OF 10 TO 30. THEY WERE EMPLOYED IN NUMEROUS WAYS ON SEVERAL SHOTS TO DETERMINE THEIR CHARACTERISTICS, LIMITATIONS AND CAPABILITIES. A NYLON AND CARBON PAPER INITIATION DEV ICE WAS USED ON THE PRESSURE-TIME GAGES TO START THE RECORDING DISC AT A FINITE TIME AFTER THE DETONATION OF THE DEVICE. THE PRESSURE-TIME G AGES WERE ACCURATE TO PLUS OR MINUS PERCENT AND RECORDED WAVE SHAPES V ERY SIMILAR TO THOSE OBTAINED BY MORE EXPENSIVE ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENTA TION. THE PEAK PRESSURE GAGES WERE ACCURATE TO PLUS OR MINUS PERCENT A ND NO INITIATION DEVICES WAS NEEDED. THE COMPONENTS OF THE GAGES TESTE D FORM A BASIS FOR OTHER GAGES TO MEASURE FLOW PHENOMENA, UNDERWATER P RESSURES, GROUND SHOCK, ACCELERATION AND TEMPERATURE PHENOMENA, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SERIES OF SELF-RECORDING GAGES F OR THE MEASUREMENT OF VARIOUS PHENOMENA ASSOCIATED WITH THE DETONATION OF ATOMIC DEVICES BE VIGOROUSLY PURSUED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT GAGES O F THE TYPE TESTED CAN GIVE USEFUL DATA, ON TESTS REQUIRING GREATER COV ERAGE AND LONGER BLAST LINES, WITH SUFFICIENT ACCURACY AND FOR LESS EX PENDITURE IN MONEY, MAN-POWER, AND TIME, THAN IS POSSIBLE WITH OTHER T YPES OF INSTRUMENTATION.