1961 Soviet nuclear tests

1961
Information
Country Soviet Union
Test site Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan; Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan; Kapustin Yar, Astrakhan; NZ Area A, Chyornaya Guba, Novaya Zemlya, Russia; NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia
Period 1961
Number of tests 57
Test type air drop, atmospheric, barge, cruise missile, dry surface, high alt rocket (30–80 km), parachuted, underground tunnel, underwater
Max. yield 50 megatonnes of TNT (210 PJ)
Test series chronology

The Soviet Union's 1961 nuclear test series[1] was a group of 57 nuclear tests conducted in 1961. These tests followed the 1958 Soviet nuclear tests series and preceded the Soviet Project K nuclear tests series.

Soviet Union's 1961 series tests and detonations
Name [note 1] Date time (UT) Local time zone [note 2][2] Location [note 3] Elevation + height [note 4] Delivery, [note 5]
Purpose [note 6]		 Device [note 7] Yield [note 8] Fallout [note 9] References Notes
84 (Joe 75) 1 September 1961 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°25′22″N 77°43′23″E / 50.4227°N 77.7231°E / 50.4227; 77.7231 (84 (Joe 75)) 280 m (920 ft) + 660 m (2,170 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 16 kt [1][3][4][5][6][7]
85 (Joe 76) 4 September 1961 05:00:27 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°27′N 77°44′E / 50.45°N 77.74°E / 50.45; 77.74 (85 (Joe 76)) 280 m (920 ft) + 725 m (2,379 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 9 kt [1][3][4][5][6][7]
86 (Joe 77) 5 September 1961 06:00:05 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°27′N 77°44′E / 50.45°N 77.74°E / 50.45; 77.74 (86 (Joe 77)) 280 m (920 ft) + 710 m (2,330 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 16 kt [1][3][4][5][6][7]
87 (Joe 78) 6 September 1961 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°24′N 77°48′E / 50.4°N 77.8°E / 50.4; 77.8 (87 (Joe 78)) 280 m (920 ft) + 685 m (2,247 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 1.1 kt [1][3][4][6][7][8] Study of weapon effects on radar.
88 Groza (Storm) (Joe 79) 6 September 1961 MSK (3 hrs)
 Launch from Kapustin Yar, Astrakhan 48°34′10″N 45°54′12″E / 48.56956°N 45.90346°E / 48.56956; 45.90346 (Launch_88 Groza (Storm) (Joe 79)), elv: 0 + 0 m (0 + 0 ft);
Detonation over Kapustin Yar, Astrakhan 48°24′N 45°48′E / 48.4°N 45.8°E / 48.4; 45.8 (88 Groza (Storm) (Joe 79))		 N/A + 22.7 kilometres (14.1 mi) high alt rocket (30–80 km),
weapon effect		 R-12? 10.5 kt [1][3][9][10][11] R-5M rocket launch from Kapustin Yar. Probable ABM test.
89 9 September 1961 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°22′41″N 77°51′18″E / 50.378°N 77.855°E / 50.378; 77.855 (89) 280 m (920 ft) + 0 dry surface,
safety experiment		 380 t [1][4][6][7][8]
92 (Joe 81) 10 September 1961 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°N 78°E / 50°N 78°E / 50; 78 (92 (Joe 81)) N/A + 180 m (590 ft) atmospheric,
weapons development		 880 t [1][3][4][6][7][8]
90 Vozduj (Air) (Joe 80) 10 September 1961 09:00:09.2 MSK (3 hrs)
 NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia ~ 73°45′N 54°18′E / 73.75°N 54.3°E / 73.75; 54.3 (90 Vozduj (Air) (Joe 80)) 0 + 2,000 m (6,600 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 2.7 Mt [1][3][6][9][11][12][13] Dropped by TU-95 from Olenya AF in the Kola Peninsula. Dropped over Battlefield D-2, near Mityushika Bay.
91 (Joe 82) 10 September 1961 11:00:?? MSK (3 hrs)
 Launch from NZ Area A, Chyornaya Guba, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 71°37′00″N 52°28′42″E / 71.61667°N 52.47833°E / 71.61667; 52.47833 (Launch_91 (Joe 82)), elv: 30 + 0 m (98 + 0 ft);
Detonation over NZ Area A, Chyornaya Guba, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 70°42′N 54°36′E / 70.7°N 54.6°E / 70.7; 54.6 (91 (Joe 82))		 N/A + 390 m (1,280 ft) high alt rocket (30–80 km),
weapons development		 12 kt [1][3][6][11][12][14] Launched on R-11M. Named "Volga" in one source, not connected with Volga series later on.
93 11 September 1961 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°24′N 77°48′E / 50.4°N 77.8°E / 50.4; 77.8 (93) 280 m (920 ft) + 690 m (2,260 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 300 t [1][4][6][7][8] R-12 missile from Novaya Zemlya.
94 Roza1 (Rose) (Joe 83) 12 September 1961 10:08:15.3 MSK (3 hrs)
 Launch from Komi, Russia 67°27′52″N 64°18′10″E / 67.46441°N 64.30266°E / 67.46441; 64.30266 (Launch_94 Roza1 (Rose) (Joe 83)), elv: 0 + 0 m (0 + 0 ft);
Detonation over NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 74°12′N 52°06′E / 74.2°N 52.1°E / 74.2; 52.1 (94 Roza1 (Rose) (Joe 83))		 N/A + 1,190 m (3,900 ft) high alt rocket (30–80 km),
weapons development		 Product 49 TN 1.2 Mt [1][3][6][11][12][15] R-13 launched from Vorkuta Sovietski Air base. Probable ABM test. Airburst over water in Mitushika Bay.
95 (Joe 85) 13 September 1961 MSK (3 hrs)
 Launch from Kola Peninsula Launch Area (Barents Sea) 70°N 40°E / 70°N 40°E / 70; 40 (Launch_95 (Joe 85)), elv: 0–30 m (0–98 ft);
Detonation over NZ Area A, Chyornaya Guba, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 70°52′N 53°20′E / 70.87°N 53.33°E / 70.87; 53.33 (95 (Joe 85))		 N/A + 250 m (820 ft) high alt rocket (30–80 km),
weapons development		 6 kt [1][3][6][11][12] Live nuclear tipped missile test, across the sea to land.
96 (Joe 84) 13 September 1961 05:01:55.8 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°27′N 77°45′E / 50.45°N 77.75°E / 50.45; 77.75 (96 (Joe 84)) 280 m (920 ft) + 710 m (2,330 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 10 kt [1][3][4][5][6][7]
97 14 September 1961 05:59:59.4 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan 50°21′N 77°49′E / 50.35°N 77.82°E / 50.35; 77.82 (97) 280 m (920 ft) + 0 dry surface,
weapons development		 400 t [1][4][6][7][8]
98 (Joe 86) 14 September 1961 09:56:16.7 MSK (3 hrs)
 Launch from Kola Peninsula Launch Area (Barents Sea) 70°30′N 39°30′E / 70.5°N 39.5°E / 70.5; 39.5 (Launch_98 (Joe 86)), elv: 0–30 m (0–98 ft);
Detonation over NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 74°36′N 51°06′E / 74.6°N 51.1°E / 74.6; 51.1 (98 (Joe 86))		 N/A + 1,700 m (5,600 ft) high alt rocket (30–80 km),
weapons development		 1.2 Mt [1][3][6][11][12][16] Kola Sea to Mitskuya Bay, R-13 ballistic missile live test.
99 Roza2 (Rose) (Joe 87) 16 September 1961 09:08:13.7 MSK (3 hrs)
 Launch from Komi, Russia 67°27′52″N 64°18′10″E / 67.46441°N 64.30266°E / 67.46441; 64.30266 (Launch_99 Roza2 (Rose) (Joe 87)), elv: 0 + 0 m (0 + 0 ft);
Detonation over NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia ~ 73°45′N 54°18′E / 73.75°N 54.3°E / 73.75; 54.3 (99 Roza2 (Rose) (Joe 87))		 N/A + 1,320 m (4,330 ft) high alt rocket (30–80 km),
weapons development		 Product 49 TN 830 kt [1][3][6][11][12][16] Launched on an R-12 rocket from Vorkuta Sovietski Air base. Probable ABM test. One source says launch from Kola.
100 (Joe 88) 17 September 1961 07:00:46.6 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°27′N 77°45′E / 50.45°N 77.75°E / 50.45; 77.75 (100 (Joe 88)) 280 m (920 ft) + 695 m (2,280 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 21 kt [1][3][4][5][6][7]
102 18 September 1961 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°22′41″N 77°51′18″E / 50.378°N 77.855°E / 50.378; 77.855 (102) 280 m (920 ft) + 1 m (3 ft 3 in) dry surface,
safety experiment		 4 t [1][4][6][7][8]
103 18 September 1961 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°24′N 77°48′E / 50.4°N 77.8°E / 50.4; 77.8 (103) N/A + atmospheric,
weapons development		 750 t [1][4][6][7][8]
101 (Joe 89) 18 September 1961 07:59:36.8 MSK (3 hrs)
 NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia ~ 73°45′N 54°18′E / 73.75°N 54.3°E / 73.75; 54.3 (101 (Joe 89)) 0 + 1,500 m (4,900 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 1 Mt [1][3][11][16][17] Khalturin believes this is a missile test from Chita.
104 (Joe 90) 19 September 1961 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan 50°22′42″N 77°50′14″E / 50.3782°N 77.8373°E / 50.3782; 77.8373 (104 (Joe 90)) 280 m (920 ft) + 0 dry surface,
safety experiment		 30 t [1][3][4][6][7][8]
105 20 September 1961 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°24′N 77°48′E / 50.4°N 77.8°E / 50.4; 77.8 (105) 280 m (920 ft) + 280 m (920 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 4.8 kt [1][4][6][7][8]
106 Volga1 (Joe 91) 20 September 1961 08:12:12 MSK (3 hrs)
 Launch from NZ Area A, Chyornaya Guba, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 71°37′00″N 52°28′42″E / 71.61667°N 52.47833°E / 71.61667; 52.47833 (Launch_106 Volga1 (Joe 91)), elv: 30 + 0 m (98 + 0 ft);
Detonation over NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia ~ 73°31′N 54°18′E / 73.52°N 54.3°E / 73.52; 54.3 (106 Volga1 (Joe 91))		 N/A + 1,600 m (5,200 ft) high alt rocket (30–80 km),
weapons development		 1.5 Mt [1][3][6][11][18] Launched on R-11M rocket launched from Rogachevo airbase in the NTR. Probable ABM test.
107 (Joe 92) 21 September 1961 14:01:01.6 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°25′40″N 77°43′23″E / 50.4277°N 77.7231°E / 50.4277; 77.7231 (107 (Joe 92)) 280 m (920 ft) + 110 m (360 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 800 t [1][3][4][6][7][8]
108 Volga2 (Joe 93) 22 September 1961 08:11:00 MSK (3 hrs)
 Launch from NZ Area A, Chyornaya Guba, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 71°37′00″N 52°28′42″E / 71.61667°N 52.47833°E / 71.61667; 52.47833 (Launch_108 Volga2 (Joe 93)), elv: 30 + 0 m (98 + 0 ft);
Detonation over NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia ~ 73°31′N 54°18′E / 73.52°N 54.3°E / 73.52; 54.3 (108 Volga2 (Joe 93))		 N/A + 1,300 m (4,300 ft) high alt rocket (30–80 km),
weapons development		 260 kt [1][3][6][11][13][18] Launched on R-11M rocket launched from Rogachevo airbase in the NTR. Probable ABM test.
109 26 September 1961 07:01:19.8 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°27′N 77°45′E / 50.45°N 77.75°E / 50.45; 77.75 (109) 280 m (920 ft) + 665 m (2,182 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 1.2 kt [1][4][6][7][8]
110 1 October 1961 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°24′N 77°48′E / 50.4°N 77.8°E / 50.4; 77.8 (110) 280 m (920 ft) + 700 m (2,300 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 3 kt [1][4][6][7][8]
111 (Joe 94) 2 October 1961 10:30:50 MSK (3 hrs)
 NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 73°55′N 54°33′E / 73.92°N 54.55°E / 73.92; 54.55 (111 (Joe 94)) 0 + 1,500 m (4,900 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 250 kt [1][3][6][9][11]
112 (Joe 95) 4 October 1961 07:01:19.9 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°27′N 77°45′E / 50.45°N 77.75°E / 50.45; 77.75 (112 (Joe 95)) 280 m (920 ft) + 605 m (1,985 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 13 kt [1][3][4][6][7][8]
113 (Joe 96) 4 October 1961 07:30:54.8 MSK (3 hrs)
 NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia ~ 73°45′N 54°18′E / 73.75°N 54.3°E / 73.75; 54.3 (113 (Joe 96)) 0 + 2,100 m (6,900 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 3 Mt [1][3][6][11][13][18] Some sources (Khalturin) believe this was an ICBM test launched from Chita.
115 Grom (Thunder) (Joe 98) 6 October 1961 MSK (3 hrs)
 Launch from Kapustin Yar, Astrakhan 48°34′10″N 45°54′12″E / 48.56956°N 45.90346°E / 48.56956; 45.90346 (Launch_115 Grom (Thunder) (Joe 98)), elv: 0 + 0 m (0 + 0 ft);
Detonation over Kapustin Yar, Astrakhan 48°27′N 44°18′E / 48.45°N 44.3°E / 48.45; 44.3 (115 Grom (Thunder) (Joe 98))		 N/A + 41.3 kilometres (25.7 mi) high alt rocket (30–80 km),
weapon effect		 40 kt [1][3][6][10][11][18] Rocket launched from Kapustin Yar, to exlode above West Kazakhstan. Probable ABM test.
114 (Joe 97) 6 October 1961 07:00:12.2 MSK (3 hrs)
 NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 74°18′N 51°36′E / 74.3°N 51.6°E / 74.3; 51.6 (114 (Joe 97)) 0 + 2,700 m (8,900 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 4 Mt [1][3][6][11][15]
116 (Joe 99) 8 October 1961 MSK (3 hrs)
 Launch from Kola Peninsula Launch Area (Barents Sea) 70°38′N 54°01′E / 70.63°N 54.02°E / 70.63; 54.02 (Launch_116 (Joe 99)), elv: 0 + 20 m (0 + 66 ft);
Detonation over NZ Area A, Chyornaya Guba, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 70°42′N 54°36′E / 70.7°N 54.6°E / 70.7; 54.6 (116 (Joe 99))		 30 m (98 ft) + 1,450 m (4,760 ft) cruise missile,
weapons development		 KSR-2 warhead 15 kt [1][3][6][11][12] KSR-2 air-to-ship cruise missile. No information on launcher, all that is a guess.
117 (Joe 100) 11 October 1961 07:39:59.9 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: V-1 49°46′11″N 77°59′00″E / 49.76986°N 77.9833°E / 49.76986; 77.9833 (117 (Joe 100)) 724 m (2,375 ft) + underground tunnel,
fundamental science		 1 kt [1][3][5][6][7][19] First Soviet underground test.
118 (Joe 101) 12 October 1961 05:31:03.6 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°27′N 77°45′E / 50.45°N 77.75°E / 50.45; 77.75 (118 (Joe 101)) 280 m (920 ft) + 670 m (2,200 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 15 kt [1][3][4][5][6][7]
119 (Joe 102) 17 October 1961 07:00:00.8 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°27′N 77°45′E / 50.45°N 77.75°E / 50.45; 77.75 (119 (Joe 102)) 280 m (920 ft) + 505 m (1,657 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 6.6 kt [1][3][4][6][7][8]
120 (Joe 103) 19 October 1961 05:30:42.6 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°27′N 77°45′E / 50.45°N 77.75°E / 50.45; 77.75 (120 (Joe 103)) 280 m (920 ft) + 710 m (2,330 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 10 kt [1][3][4][6][7][8]
121 Raduga (Rainbow) (Joe 104?) 20 October 1961 08:07:02.0 MSK (3 hrs)
 Launch from Kola Peninsula Launch Area (Barents Sea) 71°N 39°E / 71°N 39°E / 71; 39 (Launch_121 Raduga (Rainbow) (Joe 104?)), elv: 0–30 m (0–98 ft);
Detonation over NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 73°52′N 54°21′E / 73.87°N 54.35°E / 73.87; 54.35 (121 Raduga (Rainbow) (Joe 104?))		 N/A + 530 m (1,740 ft) high alt rocket (30–80 km),
weapons development		 R-13 warhead? 1.5 Mt [1][3][6][11][12][16] An R-13 rocket fired from a submarine in the Barents Sea towards Novaya Zemlya.
122 Korall 1 (Coral) (Joe 107) 23 October 1961 08:31:22.1 MSK (3 hrs)
 NZ Area A, Chyornaya Guba, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 70°42′11″N 54°36′00″E / 70.703°N 54.6°E / 70.703; 54.6 (122 Korall 1 (Coral) (Joe 107)) −33 m (−108 ft) - 25 m (82 ft) underwater,
weapon effect		 RDS-9 4.8 kt [1][3][6][11][12][17][20][21] Nuclear torpedo, fired by B–130 by Captain Rank 3 NA Shumkov in Chornaya Bay, ran underwater for 12.5 km distance.
123 (Joe 106) 23 October 1961 10:30:47.0 MSK (3 hrs)
 NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia ~ 73°45′N 54°18′E / 73.75°N 54.3°E / 73.75; 54.3 (123 (Joe 106)) 0 + 3,500 m (11,500 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 12.5 Mt [1][3][5][6][11][13]
125 25 October 1961 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°24′N 77°48′E / 50.4°N 77.8°E / 50.4; 77.8 (125) 280 m (920 ft) + 500 m (1,600 ft) air drop,
fundamental science		 500 t [1][4][6][7][8]
124 (Joe 108) 25 October 1961 08:31:05 MSK (3 hrs)
 NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia ~ 73°45′N 54°18′E / 73.75°N 54.3°E / 73.75; 54.3 (124 (Joe 108)) 0 + 1,450 m (4,760 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 300 kt [1][3][11][16][18]
126 Korall 2 (Coral) (Joe 110) 27 October 1961 08:30:27.6 MSK (3 hrs)
 NZ Area A, Chyornaya Guba, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 70°44′30″N 54°36′35″E / 70.74179°N 54.60959°E / 70.74179; 54.60959 (126 Korall 2 (Coral) (Joe 110)) −1 m (−3.3 ft) + 1 m (3 ft 3 in) barge,
weapon effect		 RDS-9 16 kt [1][3][6][11][12][17][20][21] Test of nuclear torpedo, fired by B–130 by Captain Rank 3 N.A. Shumkov in Chornaya Bay, ran underwater for 11 km (6.8 mi) distance, then broached and exploded just above the target.
129 30 October 1961 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°24′N 77°48′E / 50.4°N 77.8°E / 50.4; 77.8 (129) 280 m (920 ft) + 470 m (1,540 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 90 t [1][4][6][7][8]
130 Tsar Bomba (Joe 111) 30 October 1961 08:33:27.8 MSK (3 hrs)
 NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia ~ 73°51′N 54°30′E / 73.85°N 54.5°E / 73.85; 54.5 (130 Tsar Bomba (Joe 111)) 0 + 4,000 m (13,000 ft) parachuted,
weapons development		 RDS-220 50 Mt [1][3][4][6][11][17][22] Largest man-made detonation ever. Cleanest weapon ever tested; 97% energy from fusion. Full yield degraded by at least half. Dropped from a heavily modified Tu-95 Bear bomber, pilot A. E. Durnovtsev. One injury on ground.
131 (Joe 112) 31 October 1961 08:29:17.2 MSK (3 hrs)
 NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 73°32′N 58°55′E / 73.53°N 58.92°E / 73.53; 58.92 (131 (Joe 112)) 0 + 2,200 m (7,200 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 5 Mt [1][3][6][11][16]
132 (Joe 113) 31 October 1961 08:38:?? MSK (3 hrs)
 NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 74°36′N 59°24′E / 74.6°N 59.4°E / 74.6; 59.4 (132 (Joe 113)) 0 + 1,530 m (5,020 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 400 kt [1][3][5][6][11][13]
133 (Joe 114) 1 November 1961 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°25′40″N 77°43′23″E / 50.4277°N 77.7231°E / 50.4277; 77.7231 (133 (Joe 114)) 280 m (920 ft) + 475 m (1,558 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 2.7 kt [1][3][4][6][7][8]
135 (Joe 116) 2 November 1961 MSK (3 hrs)
 NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 75°12′N 57°30′E / 75.2°N 57.5°E / 75.2; 57.5 (135 (Joe 116)) 0 + 1,500 m (4,900 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 280 kt [1][6][11]
136 2 November 1961 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°24′N 77°48′E / 50.4°N 77.8°E / 50.4; 77.8 (136) 280 m (920 ft) + 645 m (2,116 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 600 t [1][4][6][7][8]
134 (Joe 115) 2 November 1961 08:41:?? MSK (3 hrs)
 NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 74°36′N 55°24′E / 74.6°N 55.4°E / 74.6; 55.4 (134 (Joe 115)) 0 + 1,400 m (4,600 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 120 kt [1][3][5][6][11]
137 3 November 1961 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°22′41″N 77°51′18″E / 50.378°N 77.855°E / 50.378; 77.855 (137) 280 m (920 ft) + 0 dry surface,
safety experiment		 less than 0.001 kt [1][4][6][7][8]
138 (Joe 117) 3 November 1961 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°24′N 77°48′E / 50.4°N 77.8°E / 50.4; 77.8 (138 (Joe 117)) 280 m (920 ft) + 635 m (2,083 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 900 t [1][3][4][6][7][8]
139 (Joe 118) 4 November 1961 MSK (3 hrs)
 NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 73°18′N 56°36′E / 73.3°N 56.6°E / 73.3; 56.6 (139 (Joe 118)) 0 + 1,770 m (5,810 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 15 kt [1][3][11]
141 4 November 1961 MSK (3 hrs)
 NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia ~ 73°N 55°E / 73°N 55°E / 73; 55 (141) 0 + 2,240 m (7,350 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 6 kt [1][11]
142 4 November 1961 ALMT (6 hrs)
 Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ 50°22′41″N 77°51′18″E / 50.378°N 77.855°E / 50.378; 77.855 (142) 280 m (920 ft) + 0 dry surface,
weapons development		 200 t [1][4][6][7][8]
140 (Joe 119) 4 November 1961 07:20:19.7 MSK (3 hrs)
 NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia 73°36′N 56°48′E / 73.6°N 56.8°E / 73.6; 56.8 (140 (Joe 119)) 0 + 1,750 m (5,740 ft) air drop,
weapons development		 1.5 Mt [1][3][5][11]

Notes

  1. ↑ The US, France and Great Britain have code-named their test events, while the USSR and China did not, and therefore have only test numbers (with some exceptions – Soviet peaceful explosions were named). Word translations into English in parentheses unless the name is a proper noun. A dash followed by a number indicates a member of a salvo event. The US also sometimes named the individual explosions in such a salvo test, which results in "name1 – 1(with name2)". If test is canceled or aborted, then the row data like date and location discloses the intended plans, where known.
  2. ↑ To convert the UT time into standard local, add the number of hours in parentheses to the UT time; for local daylight saving time, add one additional hour. If the result is earlier than 00:00, add 24 hours and subtract 1 from the day; if it is 24:00 or later, subtract 24 hours and add 1 to the day. All historical timezone data are derived from here:
  3. ↑ Rough place name and a latitude/longitude reference; for rocket-carried tests, the launch location is specified before the detonation 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 or units indicates the value is unknown, while "0" means zero. Sorting on this column is by elevation and height added together.
  5. ↑ Atmospheric, airdrop, balloon, gun, cruise missile, rocket, surface, tower, and barge are all disallowed by the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Sealed shaft and tunnel are underground, and remained useful under the PTBT. Intentional cratering tests are borderline; they occurred under the treaty, were sometimes protested, and generally overlooked if the test was declared to be a peaceful use.
  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, "?" indicates some uncertainty about the preceding value, nicknames for particular devices in quotes. This category of information is often not officially disclosed.
  8. ↑ Estimated energy yield in tons, kilotons, and megatons. A ton of TNT equivalent is defined as 4.184 gigajoules (1 gigacalorie).
  9. ↑ Radioactive emission to the atmosphere aside from prompt neutrons, where known. The measured species is only iodine-131 if mentioned, otherwise it is all species. No entry means unknown, probably none if underground and "all" if not; otherwise notation for whether measured on the site only or off the site, where known, and the measured amount of radioactivity released.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 Yang, Xiaoping; North, Robert; Romney, Carl (August 2000). CMR Nuclear Explosion Database (Revision 3) (Technical report). SMDC Monitoring Research.
  2. ↑ "Timezone Historical Database". iana.com. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 Soviet Atomic Energy Program (PDF) (Technical report). National Intelligence Estimate 11-2A-62. Central Intelligence Agency. 16 May 1962. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Nuclear explosions in the USSR: The North Test Site reference material, version 4 (PDF) (Technical report). IAEA Dept. of Nuclear Safety and Security. 1 December 2004. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Cochran, Thomas B.; Arkin, William M.; Norris, Robert S.; Sands, Jeffrey I. Nuclear Weapons Databook Vol. IV: Soviet Nuclear Weapons. New York, NY: Harper and Row.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 Podvig, Pavel, ed. (2001). Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 USSR Nuclear Weapons Tests and Peaceful Nuclear Explosions 1949 through 1990. Sarov, Russia: RFNC-VNIIEF. 1996. The official Russian list of Soviet tests.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Andrushkin, Vitaly V.; Leith, William (1 September 2001). The containment of Soviet underground nuclear explosions (PDF) (Open File Report 01-312). USGS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 May 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  9. 1 2 3 Stevens, Jeffry L.; Adams, David A.; Baker, G. Eli; Xu, Heming; Murphy, John R.; Divnor, Igor; Bourchik, V. N.; Kitov, Ivan. Infrasound scaling and attenuation relations from Soviet explosion data and instrument design criteria from experiments and simulations. 21st Seismic Research Symposium (Technical report).
  10. 1 2 Emanuelson, Jerry. "Test 184". Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 USSR Nuclear Tests, Hydronuclear Experiments, Plutonium Inventory. Sarov, Russia: RFNC-VNIIEF. 1998.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Early testing at Novaya Zemlya". based on: "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 31 December 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-22., http://flot.com/history/events/nucleararchipelago.htm and http://www.proatom.ru/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2312
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 Operation Argus, 1958 (DNA6039F). Washington, DC: Defense Nuclear Agency, Department of Defense. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  14. ↑ Penkovskiy, Oleg (1965). The Penkovskiy Papers. Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Co.
  15. 1 2 Crampin, Stuart (1966). "Higher-mode seismic surface waves from atmospheric nuclear explosions over Novaya Zemlya". Journal of Geophysical Research. 71: 2951–2958. doi:10.1029/jz071i012p02951.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Machta, L. R. J.; Telegadas, K. (1962). "A survey of radioactive fallout from nuclear tests". Journal of Geophysical Research. 67: 1389–1400. doi:10.1029/jz067i004p01389.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Khalturin, Vitaly I.; Rautian, Tatyana G.; Richards, Paul G.; Leith, William S. (10 April 2004). "A Review of Nuclear Testing by the Soviet Union at Novaya Zemlya, 1955--1990" (PDF). Science and Global Security. 13 (1). doi:10.1080/08929880590961862. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 Stevens, J. L.; Divnov, I. I.; Adams, D. A.; Murphy, J. R.; Bourchik, V. N. (2002). "Constraints on infrasound scaling and attenuation relations from Soviet explosion data". Pure and Applied Geophysics. 159: 1045–1062. doi:10.1007/s00024-002-8672-4.
  19. ↑ Khalturin, Vitaly I.; Rautian, Tatyana G.; Richards, Paul G. (2000). "Chemical explosions during 1961-1989 on the Semipalatinsk Test Site, Kazakhstan" (PDF). Pure and Applied Geophysics. 158: 143–171. doi:10.1007/pl00001153. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  20. 1 2 Weir, Gary E.; Boyne, Walter J. (2003). Rising Tide: The Untold Story of the Russian Submarines that Fought the Cold War. New York, NY: Basic Books.
  21. 1 2 Eneva, Mariana; Stevens, Jeffry L.; Murphy, Jack; Khristoforov, Boris D. Effect of charge depth in Russian hydroacoustic data from nuclear and HE explosions (PDF). 22nd Seismic Research Review (Technical report). Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  22. ↑ Zaloga, Steven J. (2002). The Kremlin's Nuclear Sword: The Rise and Fall of Russia's Strategic Nuclear Forces, 1945-2000. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press.
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