Operation Knothole Project Summaries

Page 3

Since the submission t o the &search arid De vel p nt Board of the original outline o f D3D experiments to be conducted i n Operation UPSHOT/ KNOTHOLE9 many additions, deletions and modifications have been uitnassed. It is the purpose of this publication to present an up-to-date outline of the WD ex per h ntsc on k plated for the -ration. It i s requested that this publication be accepted for simp* its stated purpose. The course of scientific experimentation is characterized by change, and publication will be more changes inthe program are expected before shot three months hence. Changes subsequent to this reflectel i n t!ie post shot reports of the Operation. Deputy Technical Director

Page 4

Blast and Shock Measurement8 Basic Ur Blast Heasarements Basic A i r Blast Measurements Basic A i r Blast Support;ing Neasureaents Free Air Blast Pressure Measuraaants Nuclear Measurements and Effects Studies of Airborne Particulate Material Hapsuranent of Gamma Spectrum of Fission Residual G a m = Depth Dose Heasurementa in Neutron Flux and Spectnun va Range Structures, Materiel,. and muipment Tests on the Loading of Bullding and Tests on Horizontal CylindAcal Shapaa Tests of Truss Systens Common to open Tests of Wall and Roof Panels Tests of Railroad Eguipent Effects of Blast on Buried Structures Design and Location of Field FOrtFfiCatiOM straction; Light Steel Bane St rw ture s Protective Measures for Existing Construction; External Protective Maasures Precast Gable Shelter Tests of Glazing and Window Construction Effects of AtamiC Explosion on Tree8 in Unity Density Materid.

Page 5

Vulnerabklity of Typical Tactical Can: muniqatiolvl Eptw to atomic AkLttick Statistical Determination of Dplpaga Criteria for Critical Items of mUt & Wfecks on lhgineer Bridging liquipaent Effects of an A i r Burst Atomic zrplosion Bffects on POL Installations - Drum and Effects on POL Installations - Syatw and Hazards from Spillage Effects on POL Installations - Bulk Effects of Atomic Weapon6 on Field Through the Atomic Cloud 54 &.l Evaluation o f the Hazard of Flying 5.2 Blast, Thermal and G u s t Effects on Lircraft in Flight 59 Program 6 Test9 of Service Equipment and Operatiom 60 6.3 Field Test of D D A 62. 6.11 hraluation of the Chemical Kkhueter 63 Test of Radar Techniques for Ac coq h hl rg 6.0 Evaluation of Radiac Instrumentation, Electromagnetic Radiation Wer the Radio . Equipment, and Operational Techniques 66

Page 6

Evaluation of Airborne mdipc Equip& 67 Bapid Aerial Radiological Gurvey , 68 tDperational Training for TU Crews 69 Determination of Height of Burst and Long Bange Ibtection 72 Electromagnetic Effects from Nuclear Datection of Fireball I;ight at Distance Detection of Airborne Low Frequency Sund Seismic Heasurements during Operation . from Atomic Brplosions 75 UPSHOT and KNCTHOU 7 6 Calibration, Analysis of A-BOld, Debris 77 Thermal Heasurmnents and Effects 79 Heasurement of Total Thermal &adistion by ’ bans of Radiation Pressure Phenomenon 81 Attenuation of Thermal Radiation 82 Degree and Extent of Burns Under Service Thermal Effects on Clothing, Materials, Protective Value of Tentage Against Thewal Effects of Thermal Radiation on Materials 87 MCasuremen%of Basic Characteristics of Initiation and Persistance of Primary Fires (Structures and Interior af Structures) 90 Initiation and Persistance of Primary Fires Heasurement of Velocity of Sound 92 Recursor Shock Study 93 Technical Photography f o r the Support of

Page 8

aert gzd t o dr.ternine the effects on the blast wave of a thenual absorbing and a them.al scattering smoke layer interposed between t h e bomb burat arid T 2 obtzin pressure-time curves a t various distances from ground R o c e i !:%e:Wiinko pressure gauge measurements dill be made at ground levo1 and ~t ? 2.0 foot height along tu0 blast, lines. cne lip;, *ich will be covered with a smoke blznket, those m;.de on t h e other (main) blast line. The metsurments made on dll be compared with

Page 9

dotpr use i n correlating data of other proguns. Measlrments are t o be made on KNOTHOLE shots rmber' 1 and 2 and 2 rirdrcps in t h e Yucca This agency -?rill obtain and analyze the majority of fundamental ' 9onsor: AFSW Performing Ag ency: Ssanford Research tract to Office of on pressure time cmves. ground i f appreciable energy is trznszmitted just below ground level. To cbtPin pressuretime data vs gFound range along with the To determine by accelerations at 1foot belou 'Mach stem path or. KNOTHOLE ;hots, and the effects of baffle orientation Rocedura: Pressure-time relationships on eath acceleration uill be measured by means o f Wimcko pressure gauge s e t a t 0, 10, 30, b0 and 50 foot elevations a d Uimcko accelermeters ata depth of 1f oot deployed at variow distances fram ground zero.

Page 10

To study the effects of terrain on bl- presnures. move ground a t various distances from ground sero to obtain pressuretime vs distance Marm ation ~ f o ra tower shot. the surface of the ground near selected terrain features. -These gauges vill affects in Yucca Flat amp. Viancko air blast gauges vill be installed at groand level and Vlancko gauges installed in ground baffles v ill be deployed on Remarks: This project will be accomplished (bulng tm tarer shots in

Page 11

Objective: To supply air drag measurements in support of Program 3. I To measwe the direction of blat wave propagation by means & yan gauges t o a i d in the s:udy of the precursor phmmeMo To condwt feasibility studlcs on tmperatur.. ? o r d velocity, a t various distances Ban ground aero. Gauges for measuring dire-tiorr of particle velocity Will be installed at10 foot heights ana a t various distances from ground zero within t h e possible preclrrsor reglon. Gauges for measu?ing Q Will be instolled at various hsighta amJ1'i I Gauge systems far the m*as.mment of air teaperature, sound velocity and air density uiil be iz std led at selected points i n the Kpch stem region and i n a region *ere there is a possibility or cbtaining (L This project dl1 participate iri KNOTHOLE 1md 2.

Page 12

the Frecwsor effect. To obtain the path of t h e triplo point. To obtain effects of a smoke lay= on the shock way% Rocedlrer The time of arrival of the shock fiont WiU bo dotQland from m f motion picture film take9 of gmoke troil grid established prim trails. This reflected light is i n turn refracted by tho bity grrdimt of t h e expanding shock front. The Pparent b r a s podmod ia tbe (yid lurk t h e arrival times of the shock'frofl in the timed 6OqUOIICO Of mOtiOn pictwo exposures. The peak over-preskures ,may be in turn Wwed these level the cameras will be mounted in a tam' of a hdght suf fl ci at fo afford an unobstructed view of t h e ground ia front of th0 -0 pi& Light from the intomenlug fir0 ball lord loc ted by the aoko k m attenpt t o extend the measmments closar to gro dI shot i n Yucca e?d KNOT€IOIE 1 and 2 I n Frenchman Flat. This project will be acccmpllahed on 1airdrop and 1 t o m

Page 13

Project Officer: Lt. Col. James 0. Pam, USAF To obtain pressure measurements above an nip burst atomic bomb. blast pressure i n the Mach stem and t o dotennine the altitude of the q pcr end of the Mach stm (triple point) inat least one point. radsr units dl1 position E-29 aircraft in space and time duripg deployment of canisters. Deployment of fourteen (I.&) parachute-borne omidera w i l l be A radioc telemtrg eystm vill A vertical array of seven (7) canisters will bo $@ploy& above ground zero, within a 30 degree angle from the vertical, at altitudes from a2proximately 3500 feet to 25,000 feet above ground level, mzy of seven canisters will also be deployed, approximately 12,500 feet horiaontaUy from ground zero, at altitudes from qpraxiaately 2,000 feet to 15,000 feet above ground level. Parachute-borne canister positions w i l l be determined by the usc of altimeter data and shock wave travel time and the use of the Multiple Object Tracking System i s not required. Howevgr, fl t h e MOTS system is used f o r another project, t h e canisters may be equipped with PlCtS beacons for additional positional data. -and the report o f Project 1.3 o f Operation SNAPPW for background and t keo rct ical u or kin making free-air blast pressurp measuranents of an atomic baab dctoxtion. Iw will be utilized in KNOTHOLE. w i l l depend on damage incurred during use on Operation IYP. Thia project w i l l be accomplished on KNOTHOLE 1 and 2. Reference i s made tothe report of Project 1.1 of Operatipn Instrumentation and equipment used in Operation Status of instrumentat$on and equipment

Page 14

Procedure: Earth pressure gauger will be burled a t 1, 5, and 15 foot & pressures WlU vrry from rpproldmately 75 pal t o 1s pi. ed in the lmtrment shelter In the we.. Ranrrke: This project uiU be accompllshed on KNOTBOIE 1 and 2. vwiou dicrtmces ircm pound soro t o respond to mr tic rl Uauge groups vi11 be placed a t 5 dintancar ruah that h i d & me output of all gauges w i l l be recorded on equLpant inntall-I

Page 15

b-w of the horlaontal ccmponents of stress with the v st ical stress induced in the earth by an imi dant air-shock wave. Z t Vill 3eo Ml cate the magnitude and phase relationships of the straim in the soil uhich correspond t o the etresses md rdu Wnlsh data h m vhich the cauplete cynamic stress strain Induced by the alr blist may be det ded and correlated vlth t h e Incident air-shock wave. This test u ill serve t o indicate the magnitude and phase rei Frocedure: Bvth pressure gauges will be buried at5 foot depth at om &stance from ground zero for KNOTHOLE 1 and 2 t o respond t o fire stress camponents including those in the vertical, radial and tangential directions, mdat Lp between vertical and radial and radid and tangential directions. I n addition earth strain gauges and earth acceleration gauges will be oriented t o obtain 3 canponents of earth strain and srrth acceleration. thest tower shot in the Yucca area. This project will be accomplished during KNGTHOLE 1 m d 2 md

Page 17

To determine the following chr act eris tics of the prrti - inthe cloud resulting from an air hurst weapon2 (1) Particle size distribution. (2) Distribution of activity ui th particle size. - To evaluate improved particulate sampling methods. Fractionation of radio-nuclides ui th particle size. *actors anployed a t Operation CRZEENHOUSE md JANGLE, improved t o eliminate deficiencies pointed out by these operations. Bir sampling aircraft will be eqdpped u it hp rti cuk te sanpling It is planned t o use the electrostatic precipitors and cascade

Page 18

To make measurement of the gamma energy spectrum of the residual Measurements of this type are necessary to provide design criteria aesign, utilizing the grey wdge photographic method of pulse height analysis. The pulses due t o various energies of gamma radiation striking a scintillating The scintillation spectrometer t o be employed is of conventional field over the present range of the detector.' overlappjng ranges will be used. Two crystal detectors with -Title: Measurament of Gama Spectrum Project Officer: Mr. Rcbert C. Bass, Civ Performing Agency: Signal Corps Remarks : A scintillation spectrometer has previously been used for measurements of this type and although the r e s u l t s obtained are limited, the feasibil it y of the method has been proved. The present equip ent has been designed t o overcome several shortcomings of previms de&= of this type. The equipent w i l l be capable of making measurements continuously throughout the expected energy range without the Uf i cult y of normalizing measurements

Page 19

ments in Unit - Dsnsity Waterial of leu, intarmediate and high field intensity ard correlate this informotion kith low intensity field spectrum measurements uhich are to be made by project 2.la mploying scintillation spectrometer techniques. Fro-edure: Sets of units density spheres of Varging diameter, gplmno 7aJiation dosimeters placed in a central cavity in. each sphere, will be placed i n areas of residual contamination kv H 1 hour foUoWhg three tower bursts of moderately hi& yield. a i least three points in the range of gama radiation intensity from 200 m/hr mined by dose-rate, exposure tip and dosimeter response range. To evaluate the gamma energy distribution i n areas of residual To determine the effective energy af gamma radiation a t points Plans are based on - ate at, I Recovery wly follow exposure after P short time intsl.pdL deterg=sh the degree t o which the sphee technique Uill respond to moderate changes i n the gamma energy distributfon, particularly for chahges i n contribution to the total flux from the low energy region. b. The problem of exposure 02 equipnent in fields of gamma intensity i n tho range from 1 0 r/hr t o 50 r/br offers a radiological safety problem. Present project plans contemplate prbvision of lead shielding for truck driver and. front mounted boom for equipment hauling.

Page 20

Sponsor: U. S i Navy Performing Ag encgr Naval Research of range and the spectnmn in the energy range from thennal t o 1 - 3klXV. To continue determination of t h e neutron flux as a function To obtain information for the dev do pent of 8atbfactory techniques for making accurate observations of t h e neutron flux and trloa i n the presence of an intense gamma rip. source. To support biological studies of neutron damage try providing To f i e l d Test ’nw laboratory proven techniques or detectors. ?lux, choosing a distribution of thresholds t o enable a measurement of spectrum distribution will be accanplished a t several stations at various distances from ground zero. Neu techniques are being developed and It Is proposed to field test those which indicate promise of success based on laboratory tests,bong the new techniques presently being considered l a the use of nuclear track emulsion t o measure the shape of the energyspecThe use of neutron activation techniques t o measure the neutron

Page 22

Mtlen Tests on t h e &a- of Building and Zplpment +pes Objectiver To investigate basic loading phenomena on prallelopidpeda and other models. rind tunneb, high explosive experiments and full-scale t e s t a Wre [;BBIENHOUSE uith thle controlled field test. Correlate existing t e s t data, future tests, shock tube, Procedure; Seventeen (17) structures, as Hated b e h , Vill be erected Effect of: Length, width, size, orientation, and elevation Wfect of vidth Effect of width Effect of length Effect of siee Effect of shock strength, mize Effect of orierrtation 1 5 O ) Effect of orientution 22 1/29 Effect of leagth Effect of shielding …