Operation Upshot-Knothole

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Operation Upshot-Knothole

The Grable test, with the Atomic Annie artillery piece used to fire the warhead.
Information
Country United States
Test site NTS Areas 5, 11, Frenchman Flat; NTS, Areas 1-4, 6-10, Yucca Flat
Period 1953
Number of tests 11
Test type Free fall air drop, Gun deployed, Tower
Max. yield 200 tonnes of TNT (840 GJ) - 61 kilotonnes of TNT (260 TJ)
Navigation
Previous test series Ivy
Next test series Castle

Operation Upshot-Knothole was a series of eleven nuclear test shots conducted in 1953 at the Nevada Test Site. It followed Operation Ivy and preceded Operation Castle.

Over 21,000 soldiers took part in the ground exercise Desert Rock V in conjunction with the Grable shot.[1] Grable was a 280mm shell fired from the “Atomic Cannon” and was viewed by a number of high-ranking military officials.

The test series was notable as containing the first time an atomic artillery shell was fired (shot Grable), the first two shots (both fizzles) by University of California Radiation Laboratory—Livermore (now Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory), and for testing out some of the thermonuclear components that would be used for the massive thermonuclear series of Operation Castle.

The United States test series summary table is here: United States' nuclear testing series.

The detonations in the United States' Upshot-Knothole series are listed below:

United States' Upshot-Knothole series Explosions
Name[Note 1] Date Time (UT) Local time zone[Note 2] Location[Note 3] Elevation + Height[Note 4] Delivery[Note 5] Purpose[Note 6] Device[Note 7] Yield[Note 8] Venting[Note 9] References Notes
Annie March 17, 1953 13:00:20.3 PST
 NTS Area 3 37°02′52″N 116°01′19″W / 37.0477°N 116.022°W / 37.0477; -116.022 (Annie) 1,230 m (4,040 ft) + 90 m (300 ft) Tower Weapons development TX-5HE "XR3" Type D pit 16 kt I-131 venting detected, 2.4 MCi (89 PBq) [2][3][4][5][6] Investigated yield-vs-initiation time curve. Live news coverage. Desert Rock V. Two 2-story houses, 50 autos, bomb shelters in effects test.
Nancy March 24, 1953 13:00:10.0 PST
 NTS Area 4 37°05′44″N 116°06′13″W / 37.0955°N 116.1037°W / 37.0955; -116.1037 (Nancy) 1,230 m (4,040 ft) + 90 m (300 ft) Tower Weapons development TX-15 "Nevada Zombie" 24 kt I-131 venting detected, 3.6 MCi (130 PBq) [2][3][4][5][6] Proof test of TX-15. Desert Rock V. Tested RACER boosted primary.
Ruth March 31, 1953 13:00:00.0 PST
 NTS Area 7 37°04′58″N 116°01′29″W / 37.0827°N 116.0248°W / 37.0827; -116.0248 (Ruth) 1,270 m (4,170 ft) + 90 m (300 ft) Tower Weapons development "Hydride 1" 200 t I-131 venting detected, 28 kCi (1,000 TBq) [2][3][5][6] 1st UCRL device, a uranium hydride core, meant to be a thermonuke primary. Device fizzled - hydride to slow neutrons was too slow. Embarrassing for designers, as it left 200' of shot tower still standing.
Dixie April 6, 1953 15:29:38.4 PST
 NTS Area 7 37°05′05″N 116°01′08″W / 37.0847°N 116.0189°W / 37.0847; -116.0189 (Dixie) 1,284 m (4,213 ft) + 1,830 m (6,000 ft) Free fall air drop Weapons development Mk-5D 11 kt I-131 venting detected, 1.7 MCi (63 PBq) [2][3][4][5][6] TX-5D proof test, lithium hydride boost experiment. Exploded 600 ft (180 m) ENE of intended zero point.
Ray April 11, 1953 12:44:59.8 PST
 NTS Area 4 37°05′56″N 116°05′36″W / 37.0988°N 116.0934°W / 37.0988; -116.0934 (Ray) 1,296 m (4,252 ft) + 30 m (98 ft) Tower Weapons development "Hydride 2" 200 t I-131 venting detected, 28 kCi (1,000 TBq) [2][3][5][6] 2nd UCRL device, uranium deuteride; it also fizzled. Legend has it that 100 foot tower was used, to avoid embarrassment in case of fizzle.
Badger April 18, 1953 12:00:35.0 PST
 NTS Area 2 37°08′18″N 116°07′07″W / 37.1383°N 116.1187°W / 37.1383; -116.1187 (Badger) 1,370 m (4,490 ft) + 90 m (300 ft) Tower Weapons development TX-16 "Buzzard" 23 kt I-131 venting detected, 3.6 MCi (130 PBq) [2][3][4][5][6] Test of the TX-16 cryogenic design. Also tested RACER primary. Desert Rock V.
Simon April 25, 1953 12:29:59.8 PST
 NTS Area 1 37°03′11″N 116°06′13″W / 37.053°N 116.1036°W / 37.053; -116.1036 (Simon) 1,294 m (4,245 ft) + 90 m (300 ft) Tower Weapons development TX-17/24 "Simultaneity" 43 kt I-131 venting detected, 6.3 MCi (230 PBq) [2][3][4][5][6] Tested TX-17/24 series, and the RACER primary.
Encore May 8, 1953 15:29:55.4 PST
 NTS Area 5 36°48′00″N 115°55′44″W / 36.8°N 115.929°W / 36.8; -115.929 (Encore) 940 m (3,080 ft) + 740 m (2,430 ft) Free fall air drop Weapon effect Mk-6D 27 kt I-131 venting detected, 3.9 MCi (140 PBq) [2][3][4][5][6] "Effects" test. Dropped 950 ft (290 m) SSW of target. Desert Rock V, bad exposures for troops and bad downwinder fallout.
Harry May 19, 1953 12:04:59.5 PST
 NTS Area 3 37°02′25″N 116°01′34″W / 37.0402°N 116.0261°W / 37.0402; -116.0261 (Harry) 1,224 m (4,016 ft) + 90 m (300 ft) Tower Weapons development TX-13D "Hamlet" 32 kt I-131 venting detected, 4.6 MCi (170 PBq) [2][3][4][5][6] New hollow core design, most efficient pure-plutonium device under 100 kt indicates very good compression. Major effects testing of a high elevation explosion. Heaviest downwind contamination measured.
Grable May 25, 1953 15:00:30.3 PST
 NTS Area 5 36°47′35″N 115°54′56″W / 36.793°N 115.9156°W / 36.793; -115.9156 (Grable) 960 m (3,150 ft) + 160 m (520 ft) Gun deployed Weapon effect W9 (nuclear warhead) AFAP 15 kt I-131 venting detected, 2.1 MCi (78 PBq) [2][3][4][5][6] The 2nd of four gun-type device tests. Fired from Annie M65 Atomic Cannon 11 km (6.8 mi) downrange. 280mm shell, 365 kg (805 lb). Detonation at 200 feet (61 m) SW of target. Desert Rock V. Major effects test.
Climax June 4, 1953 11:14:56.7 PST
 NTS Area 7 37°05′15″N 116°01′09″W / 37.0875°N 116.0192°W / 37.0875; -116.0192 (Climax) 1,288 m (4,226 ft) + 410 m (1,350 ft) Free fall air drop Weapons development Mk-7, COBRA, Type D pit 61 kt I-131 venting detected, 8.6 MCi (320 PBq) [2][3][4][5][6] Proof test of Mk 7, detonated 320 ft (98 m) NW of target. Composite COBRA implosion system in a Type D pit, later used as a primary. Used Cyclotol 75/25 explosive mixture.
  1. ↑ The US, France and Great Britain have code-named their test events, while the USSR and China have not, and therefore have only test numbers (with some exceptions - Soviet peaceful explosions were named). A dash followed by a number indicates a member of a salvo event. The US also named the individual explosions in such a test,which results in "<name> - 1(with <other_name>)".
  2. ↑ To compute local standard time "PST" (Pacific ST) from UT, subtract 8 hours from the UT. If that time is less then 00:00, add 24 hours and decrease the date by one day.
  3. ↑ Rough place name and a Latitude/Longitude reference; for rocket bursts, the launch location is specified before the burst location, if known. Some locations are extremely accurate; others (like airdrops and space blasts) may be quite inaccurate. "~" indicates a likely pro-forma rough location, shared with other tests in that same area.
  4. ↑ Elevation is the ground level at the point directly below the explosion relative to sea level; height is the additional distance added or subtracted by tower, balloon, shaft, tunnel, air drop or other contrivance. For rocket bursts the ground level is "N/A". In some cases it is not clear if the height is absolute or relative to ground, for example, Plumbbob/John. No number/units indicates the value is unknown, while "0" means zero.
  5. ↑ Atmospheric, airdrop, balloon, gun, cruise missile, rocket, surface, tower, barge and cratering are all disallowed by the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Sealed shaft and tunnel are underground, and remained useful under the PTBT.
  6. ↑ Include weapons development, weapon effects, safety test, transport safety test, war, science, joint verification and industrial/peaceful, which may be further broken down.
  7. ↑ Designations for test items where known, nicknames for particular devices in quotes.
  8. ↑ Estimated energy yield in tonnes, kilotonnes, and megatonnes (all metric units).
  9. ↑ Emissions to atmosphere, where known. The measured species is only iodine-131 if mentioned, otherwise it's all species. No entry means unknown, probably none if underground and everything if not; otherwise notation for whether measured on the site only or off the site, and the maximum amount of radiation released.

References

  1. ↑ Operation UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE Fact Sheet, Defense Threat Reduction Agency
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 United States Nuclear Tests: July 1945 through September 1992 (DOENV-209 REV15). Las Vegas, NV: Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office. 2000-12-01. Retrieved 2013-12-18. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 Yang, Xiaoping; North, Robert; Romney, Carl. CMR Nuclear Explosion Database (Revision 3). SMDC Monitoring Research. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Hansen, Chuck (1995). The Swords of Armageddon, Vol. 8. Sunnyvale, CA: Chukelea Publications. ISBN 978-0-9791915-1-0. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 "Estimated exposures and thyroid doses received by the American people from Iodine-131 in fallout following Nevada atmospheric nuclear bomb tests, Chapter 2". National Cancer Institute. 1997. Retrieved 2014-01-05. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 6.10 Sublette, Carey. "Nuclear Weapons Archive". Retrieved 2014-01-06. 

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