Open AccessJuly 16th nuclear explosion: Permanent earth displacement
Author(s) -
F. Reines
Publication year - 1945
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/233382
Subject(s) - impact crater , explosive material , nuclear explosion , geology , earth (classical element) , scaling , radius , astrobiology , physics , geometry , geography , nuclear physics , mathematics , archaeology , computer science , astronomy , computer security
A measurement was made of the permanent earth movement in the neighborhood of the tower caused by the nuclear explosion at Trinity. The crater was apparently formed by a compression phenomenon and was noted to be much shallower than craters formed by ordinary high explosives. Scaling up existing information on the radius of craters, the TNT equivalence of the nuclear bomb is given as 10,000 tons to within 50 percent. Observations were made on the damage in the crater region and suggestions are given as to the nature of structure which might be expected to withstand the blast close to the gadget. It is also noted that, despite previous opinion to the contrary, it is apparently possible to reduce greatly the volume of earth blown away by the blast by suitably protecting the ground