Operation Plumbbob, Report of Test Manager, Nevada Test Site May - October 1957 (December 1957 - 01 February 1980)

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Report of Test Manager Nevada Test Site This is an extract of Opration PLUMBBOB, RIport of the Test Marmgw, which remains - clmified Slcnt/Rastrhd Data as of Extract version prepared for: DEFENSE NUCLEAR AGENCY

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This report has had classified material removed i n order t o make the information available on an unclassified, open publication basis, t o any interested parties. This effort to declassify this report has been accompl Tshed specifically to support the Department o f Defense Nuclear Test Personnel Review (NIPR) Program. objective is to facilitate studies of the low levels of radiation received by some individuals during the atmospheric nuclear t e s t program by making as much information as possible available to all interested part les. This report has been reproduced directly .from available copies o f the original material. The locations fmm which material has been deleted i s generally obvious by the spacings and "holes" i n the text. Thus, the context o f the material deleted is f dent if i ed to assist the reader i n the determination o f whether the deleted infomation is germane tohis study.

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Thc Test h nag cr ’ s report, was prepaerl under the superrision of the Director Sevada OpaIatioii Division.Office of Test Operations, Albu-p~erqueOperations, Atomic EnerLy Coilmission, i n coordination with cognizant government agencies and contractors of the AFC. It presents a summary of the 1957 nuclear weapons tests conducted a t the Nevada involved the use of the c d e name “Operation Pilgrim. ” ’Ihia designation Preparation of the report has been guided by two objectives ; first. that it may be utilized as a reference by those who are concerned with the planning, or authorization of the operation.,and secondly, that it will serve a s p1anr:ing guide for future continental test operations. The official “Operation Plumbbob’ ’ period, March 15, 1957, t o October 12, 1957, is discussed from a logistical ar.d management viewpoint only. Information relative to pre-operational planning is included to permit an understanding of the scope of operational and logistical problems. Scientific data associated with the phenomena of devices detonated during the series will be found in the var i bus technical documents listed in the references to this report, or available from the I n general, major recmukndations for improved organization or methodology have been sumnarized. Technical papers supporting recommendations are,in many instances, receiving further staff analysis and coordination. ‘Ihey will be considered i n planning future on-continent nuclear weapons tests, or, if pertinent, be considered inthe planning for weapons tests to be conducted a t the Eniwetok Proving Ground. James E. Reeves, Test Manage: Nevada Test Organization

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The Cff ice of Test Qe rations, P.lbuquerque Cperations, Atomic Energy C mission,as the responsible preparing organization, has been ably as sited in the preparation of this report by the su his sion of material developed by participants in the test series, representing the the University of California Radiation Laboratory, . . Los Alamos E cie nti fic Laboratory, of the University of California; Sandia Corporation; Cepartment o f Cefcnse; United States .Public Feal th Eervice; Federal Civil Cefense Administration ; United States Air Force Air Weather Service; Civil Aeronauties Administration ; United States Yeather Pureau and AM: support contractors, I'olmes Inc., and Edgerton-Gemshausen & Grier, Inc. Editorial assistance has been received from the Office of Test Ci rector, Nevada. Test C'rRanization, University o f 'California Fadiation Laboratory, and the Field hand Armed Forces Special \'/capons Project, Cepartment of Reproduction of the report has been accomplished with the assist an qe of Reynolds Electrical & Engineering Company, Inc., Las Vegas, Nevada, and t h e Government

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NEVADA TESI SITE FALLOUT PHE DIVI O8 FMT IV SPECIAL EXPERIULWS UNUERGROUND NUCL EAH EWER IM MTS FEDERAL CIVIL DEFENSE ADhIIXISTRATION PA IT VI DOWOPERATIOXS OPERATIOXS AND TRAINING

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merit of the technical uderaLari2iii; of niir1e;rr and thermonuclear weapons.. to test prototypes .nJ mockups o f weapons, and t o develop further infotiation ai military and civil effects,in - cluding studies of basic phenascirology of thr explosion. I n addition to the basic purpose of t h e operation, advantage was taken of detonitims t o provide training for military and civil effects groups wider field conditions. 1.2 During the course of the ogeratioii test techniques were developed uhich permit greater flexibility in utilization of the Nevada Test Site, the two major steps being the use of captive balloons and the firing of n device 1.3 The weapons development prograni was d i - rected tavards the following djjectives: To secure weapons of sm ller size with a greater delivery capabiliti. 10 achieve a greater economy i n the use of To continue development of weapons witha hidl safety factor i n handling, storage, and To secure basic information on higher yield lathx Le testcd in tli r rncif ic. 1.4 A major difficulty appeared i n the be.:inning with users requesting a largc number o f dry runs. Many of these were elimiriated i n the course of tlie operstion. There were no major problems i n housing 1.6 lhe basic organization that was estab - lished for the P lud bob Operation i s consistent with what all of the users desired. 'he major strength for accorplislimeirt of t h e technical measurements should and did reside w i t h - in the technical test groups. In SOPE i n - stances additional staff support was required 1.7 l h e construction and support contractors met and insa cases exceeded schedules. I n the case of towers the fact that they were ready, i n sane cases early,could not be-taken full advantage of because of inflexibility in same test groups with respect to taking advantage of the improved situation. 1.8 Within the body of the Test Director ' s commendations with respect t o improving joint

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.I Five safety tests were conducted of weapons and devices. Some were discovered to be safe as built and for othcrs chqlwte dat3 were obtained for the design of 9 prtwnt of Pefense was directed primarily toward the sturlv of blast and shock ohentuneria.~~ and the response of structures in the ~ vfr - prcrriire region above 50 psi.In addition. i n - formarion vas collected on induced radio - *tti*ity, on electromagnetic signal generation the detonetion. a n d on the propagation of electromagnetic radiation in the ionized region surrounding a dctona tion .. One shot 'ired i n moovtainous terrain lead to measurementsof shock and blast effects under s& An air - t o - air delivery of a h / l - 1 witha nuclear wartlead provided inforutim on nuclear and blast inputs necessary "' principal effort in the study of "'% shocks was expended on the Priscilla Successful measurements were obtained fm Overpressures from 970 p s i dovnwardld lor dynamic pressures from 8 0 psi down- '*rd. fhe first experimental confirmation was .Lt'ined of the expected sharp drop i n dynamic h n the region of Mach t o the regiou eshblish delivery criteria. o f regular reflection. Stiirlies o f precursor SIVC mrasurerlicnts o f - earth shock induces! by air b ln it and their effects were carried out. Lha u red values of arce le rations agreed with pr diction in the first ten feet but there . were discrepancies i n the next lower treaty feet. which !nay have resulted froin an iso tro - pies i n the soil. Vertiral earth disp1ace:mnts produced hythe shock wave were measured and typical values ok erve d were 14 inches m t 270 psi and 2 inches a t 60 psi. 2.4Terrain effects were determined on the Snoky Event. The results may be summarized a s 2.4.1Over pressures on front slopes are higher and on back slopes lower than for flat terrain at the same distances. 2.4.2 Overpressures on low, rolling terrain are higher than flat terrain pressures for like ground distances ; dynamic pre r sur cs are 2.4.3 Dynamic pressures on front slopes of high-ridges are lower than flat terrain pres-. sures at corresponding distances and fall sharply below flat terrain pressures on back 2.4.4Ihe wave forms on all front slopes have a shorter rise time than the corresponding wave forms on the flat terrain line. Wave forms on back slops are nearly ideal. 2.5 The nuclear radiation effects measurements were successful, indicating that neutron

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,,rrcd t o Iic priiimrily GcnernLcd by Llicrnml 2 prwipt ncutron dosages ycre foiind 1.0 deIr,d rtrongly on weapons design and raliiable ,,,,.,ricaI results were obtained for several nmls,it was found that in the first five rcrond interval after detonation,the total pma rndiatim increased rit halt it u Je to 100 feet, where about 30% more was received than mould hare been on the surface for the same distance from the point of dcttvnatinn. underground slielLers yielded tis cfd data on shielding factors in Lhe main striictiires ond 2.9 lherc $ ults of the sLr i ict urc s program 6.Iwnd strticturcs i n the overpresstire rrlgions h e 50 psi. Ccnerally the iindergrumd strucCsnatriictrd and aiialyzed were inore con- ."".Live than necessary. I t was shown that '!'llient type and can be readily consLrucLed lo.ithstand merprersures up LO 200 psi. For 4 n e surf.dce 5triictiires. arch or Jnac types "'Iae dcsihncd t o survive iip to 70 psi. Llimedi cal Program Llie cyc pro lcc tion provided I,y vnlvcd inLIW inass casimlty studies on a large number of pigs. animals suffering mj S s ile winds Iran glass. inmst iristancts, receird received scr-ious tlicrlnal I + urns. nlere an iiiuerse 2.ssOCiatiOn lietween degree of llUm and si irv ivn l time of the exposed ani mls. & r ~ sin cl enrcut conclusions *ere reached; namly, for a large biolcgical specimen inthe opcn, %iuli n the precursor of a nuclear wwpm, the mary cause of death is imcchanical injury to the organisms due to^ translation and n carly 100% are killed instantly. Outside tltc prccursor region, teiiiporary survival may be expected i n the open, but barring tnt al missile injury, the radiation lcvels nre letlinl. [:Iosci n foxholcs may provide protection to pr rv rn t total injury fr mb last and burn. birr Ictlml radiation dosages will also be- received. 2.12 Preliminary resulLs give an 1Q&0/30 o f i pigs LO Le aLoiit 500 rep ganma rays plus netit-\ Fu lts hit disagrees with earlier field results. prot.rction from c horio retinal Liiriis ;owl fli ish Llindiiess. A goggle can now Le dt:riywJ for serri cet csting. - 2. 14 Prc1iriit:ar) fic ld n ria lysis of & lanul - & c a ~ etllat L!ie &jrcLiues of the varioiir a i r - craftr tli ~ i e suere sv,cccssfillly met cuccyt for

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2 . 1 7 n e progrnm to messiirr electroniagtietic cirechled t o successful measurements of tlie ariaithal. radial, and vertical componcnts of the magnetic field in the frequeicy re&,.'ion up 10 200 kc. The strongest coiiiponent was aaimuthnl md the field dropped b y ail on!cr o f mbuitude in less than LOO microsecond.;. Radio and l\adar Signals 0'1 propasation of radio and radar signals f r m 111 aircraft transmitter to groiirid recei vers fmilcd LO show any attenuation a t several fre - Pvcncies from 4 mc up t o 9200 mc. hdar track- '% of an aircraft from I! f3to 11 f 5 minutes rhr%b a nuclear cloud using X-band radar was k ect ion of Nuclear Detonations *.I9 A project involving long range detection 'd locatio,! of nuclear Jet on at ims ovcr dis - tances Of several hundred miles,gavc fixes to ''I found that no consistent patterris peculiar to .'*e forms, field intensities, or pulse d'fations of these transients could dist in - K'''h them from the electr-gnetic pulse of a 2.21 Estensive studies were made of fallout with sip has is on documentation of the fallout patterns and det ~ ile da na lysis of the fallout material tu deter nil c its physics: snd ch&- cal properties.In clu dcd were studies of changes in nature of fallout material with time,particles i redistribution and the availability of the radioactive hst e rialto t h e biosphere.' biessurenents were obtained of shielding afford d by structures and nuclear distribution in air of bomb radiation wna success fu I ly accomplished. Ultimately i t is hoped that these data wilI be effective in permitting the establishment of individual dosages received by Japanese survivors. 2.22 The Federal Civil Defense structures program resulted in important meosiircmeiits concerned with design of reinforced concrete s family shelter, and an array of shelters designed by engineers in France and Germany. Also inthe progralh were studies of doors, anti - blast valves for ventilating system, and a malular brick building, 2.23 The biological program was concerned with the biological res hn seto various patterns of overpressure, the effects of missilfs, and the effects of physical displacement of of the biological target by blast produced

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l,lnrr inside open sLmcLiircs LO provide dnta for d-ign critcrin lor rlieltcrs iiot reqliiring 2.24 Arndi ~ l n ~ ica ldefense cxpcriincnt. was ,,,pird a pro Icc ti ve shelter in nrc gi un of llcaryf al Jo irt. 51ctliods of. dcl.cr!niniiig Llie a,allit,ude of tlic radi at i un fic ld niid iqwraLiolm to lcane the slirlter nncl rkcantnmiiiak a .orking area were effeclivcl) dcinonstrated. 2.25 'lhe I.cuIz sponsored a bwup of training exercises t o ~ pr ovid eexpericnce i n contaminated area* t o radiological defense Jeaders selected from State and local civil defense Radiation ! h i tor ing 2.26 A syswm of rcnmte gasma ra diz tian mnitoring was carried out at stations n td is - tances from 30 miles out to 300.milcs. ll*e system gave offsite radiation intensities reaulting from fallout by simply dialing the station through the phone network which autom fic sll y replied giving the radiation level using a coded signal. 2.27 Sandia conducted an experiwent ( 1 ) t o cunt iniic tl,e cxplr>r.ation of the effects of 2.28 Ucnsurcrnents wre n,adc o f response of lc on ple te inc tall except

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LectsLle radioactivitywasvcnted a t any point. Alter the dctonntion thc tunnel was reentered and it was pos s iLle to proceed on foot to within 200 feet of the center of the dctonation. At this d is tnn ce the tunnel was par - Li ally collapsed anGI full of broken rock, however. here also there w 2 5 no detectable radioactivity. lhere wcre no of i site effects and the seismic signals could not Ire felt at a distance of 2.5 miles. The gcncral feasibility Of the method was proved and a s a consequence Plans are being~developed for further under - '.37 A new problem i n decontamination was Presented by the balloon operation. he rally. the balloons were fired,as planned, atal - titudes such that the fission product fallout 'as …