Memo to AEC-DMA, Subject: Comment on AEC 707/1 - Fcda Participation in Teapot in Spring 1955

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BEST AVAILABLE COPY ^"dated February-IS,-■ 1954, from the Adiainistrator, FCDA, setting . forth FCDA's desires for participation in TEAPOT in the Spring of 1955. The FCDA requirer.ents and wishes as stated in the letter : a. An "open" shot to include approximately 600 civil defense observers, 500-civil defense workers, and an unspecified num ber of news media representatives. The stated purposes of 1. To allow participation of civil defense observers. 2. To allow participation in field exercises by civil defense • 3. To stimulate greater public interest in civil defense and to Inform the public on various aspects of the program, 4. To permit the participation by civil defense test program with a minimum of security restriction. ■ b. Technical tests and demonstrations on behalf of other civilian Federal agencies, private industry, and FCDA; with a maximum number of these technical tests and demonstrations included in c. A burst of announced greater than nominal yield in Area 3, suf ficiently large to permit test of structures under pressures of approximately 100 psi without high level contamination from fall d. Assignment of a sector for FCDA new construction and exercises away from the prevailing down-wind direction to avoid high

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Director of Military Applicationion -2e. The last shot of the series to miniraze security problans and to take advantage of more favorable weather for the convenience of f. Offering the services of FCDA's Director of Atomic Test Opera tions as a deputy to the Test Manager, and of FCDA's Technical Director, Atomic Test Operations Staff as a deputy to the Civil Effects Group Director. , We have solicited comments from appropriate individuals and groups, been evaluated, and SFO Management coinents (which do not neces sarily reflect but do consider all of the views submitted to this office) are as follows: a. There is no operational objection to the "open" shot provid ing the FCDA assumes responsibility for the preparation and . execution of an operational plan, acceptable to the Test Manager. This plan should be submitted sufficiently early to permit com plete review by all directly concerned, and adoption of alter nate measures in the event any elements of the plan are not acceptable to the Test Manager. In view of the complex opera tional problems involved, it is suggested that the FCDA repre sentatives work directly with 3FOG staff during the development of the plan. It Is recommended that FCDA accept full respons- . ibility for any injury which might occur to FCDA-spcnsored observers, exercise participants, industry representatives, and news representatives, as a result of radiation or other test b. Approved, FCDA-sponsored technical tests and demonstrations can be included with the other technical orograns orovlded their inclusion does not interfere appreciably with the pri mary purposes of the test series. The inclusion of a maximum number of the total FCDA technical projects in the "open" shot will have operational advantages, and an effort will be made to attain this objective. c. The Los Alamos Scientific laboratory is considering several devices which should give the desired pressure (i.e., 100 psi). One DELETED having a yield of approximately . 30 XT, and probably could be an airburst at about 1,000 feet. (Neglecting the effect of ground reflection, a free air pres sure of greater than 100 psi should exist over a radius of approximately 2S5 yards from a 30 XT burst at 1,000 feet.) The

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Director of Ililltary Application -> ;., .other device, which Is A less ili^Cely possibility, is an air burst at 1,000 feet with a yield of about .40 KT. 10RL is.... ... also considering.ia jie.YiQ.e, iprobably a tower shot, in the 20-30 KT range. The uncertainties attached to any develop lirits ;are..requiredt Prior ccsaiaiteent tp a certain yield lor pressure range,--to fulfill effects requirements, could conceivably hamper the development program by precluding y'■ changes which would affect yield; also, the yield of an experi mental device may vary significantly from the pre-shot preIvr /.^.diction. However, -SFO will make every reasonable effort to . in civ: associate the.^qpen" shot with-a development test of antici-.-i* c. ’ pated reliable yield. It is hoped that the FCDA requirements ; are sufficiently flexible to permit accommodation of FCDA . with a minimum of inconvenience to all participants, SFO can see no objection to post-shot announcement of yield in greater than nominal". However, announcement of specific yields should be avoided for reasons of national security. The use of Area 3 for the last shot involves the possibility of delay due to fallout in the area from earlier shots in the series. Because of its location, Area 3 would normally be Used for one of the early shots in the Yucca Flat Area. How ever, if the FCDA is willing to accept this risk, favorable consideration will be given to locating the "open" shot in Area 3 when the total program is known and areas assigned. d. This office anticipates no serious problems connected with allotting the FCDA a sector "up-wind" from ground zero, for test structures and field exercises of the "open" shot, except for possible conflict if DOD conducts troop maneuvers. The . scientific groups will probably have some Instrumentation in the same area, but with proper planning and coordination, inter ference between the FCDA interests and other projects should be e. From an operational standpoint, this office favors the "open" shot as the last of the series. In general, classified items will be at a minimum, construction and other preparatory work will have been completed, and the test organization will be in a better position to assist in the execution of the FCDAsponsored programs than earlier in the series. The primary disadvantage will be the effect on the schedule because of cumulative delays from earlier shots. BEST AVAILABLE COPY

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BEST AVAILABLE COPY f. cThe structure of the testrorganization is currently under study, bit is anticipated a responsible FCDA representative will be c:responsibility.-fpr ..preparation and execution of an acceptable operation plan, and (3J accepts full responsibility for_FCDAb. That FCDA be permitted to include scientific projects on a non interference basis, if adequately justified, and approved by ^'appropriate review or screening groups, c. That the ."open" shot be associated with the weapons development test which most closely fits FCDA requirements, taking into consideration the anticipated reliability cf yield. In this connection, it is recommended that the FCDA be informed of the . uncertainties associated with a development shot, and encouraged to establish criteria with the widest latitudes consistent with .FCDA objectives. Also, that FCDA be informed of the possibility of contamination of Area 3 from earlier shots in the series. d. That the FCDA be allotted a sector for its use for the ''open1' shot, subject to limited use by other groups; and that Desert . Rock troop exercises or other DOD activities which would inter_ fere with FCDA activities not be scheduled for this shot. e. That the "open" shot be the last of the series, ... f. That the FCDA be advised assignment of responsible personnel for integration into the test organization is desired, tut - the exact titles and responsibilities will not be known until the structure of the total organization is established. BEST AVAILABLE COPY