High-altitude nuclear explosion
High-altitude nuclear explosions (
HANE) have historically been nuclear explosions which take place above altitudes of 30 km, still inside the
Earth's atmosphere. Such explosions have been tests of
nuclear weapons, used to determine the effects of the blast and
radiation in the
exoatmospheric environment. The highest was at an altitude of 540 km (335.5 mi).
The only nations to detonate nuclear weapons in
outer space are the
United States and the
Soviet Union. The U.S. program began in 1958 with the
Hardtack Teak and
Hardtack Orange shots, both 3.8
megatons. These warheads were initially carried on
Redstone rockets. Later tests were delivered by
Thor missiles for
Operation Fishbowl tests, and modified
Lockheed X-17 missiles for the
Argus tests. The purpose of the shots was to determine both feasibility of nuclear weapons as an
anti-ballistic missile defense, as well as a means to
defeat satellites and manned orbiting vehicles in space. High-altitude nuclear blasts produce significantly different effects. In the lower reaches of vacuous space, the resulting
fireball grows much larger and faster than it does near the ground, and the radiation it emits travels much farther.
EMP generation
The strong
electromagnetic pulse (EMP) that results has several components. In the first few tens of nanoseconds, about a tenth of a percent of the weapon
yield appears as powerful
gamma rays with energies of one to three
mega-electron volts (
MeV, a unit of energy). The gamma rays penetrate the atmosphere and collide with
air molecules, depositing their energy to produce huge quantities of positive
ions and
recoil electrons (also known as
Compton electrons). The impacts create MeV-energy Compton electrons that then accelerate and spiral along the Earth's magnetic field lines. The resulting transient electric fields and currents that arise generate
electromagnetic emissions in the
radio frequency range of 15 to 250
megahertz (
MHz, or one million cycles per second). This high-altitude EMP occurs between 30 and 50 kilometers (18 and 31 miles) above the Earth's surface. The potential as an
anti-satellite weapon became apparent in August 1958 during
Hardtack Teak. The EMP observed at the
Apia Observatory at
Samoa was four times more powerful than any created by
solar storms, while in July 1962 the
Starfish Prime test damaged electronics in
Honolulu and
New Zealand (approximately 1,300 kilometers away), fused 300 street lights on
Oahu (Hawaii), set off about 100
burglar alarms, and caused the failure of a
microwave repeating station on
Kauai, which cut off the sturdy telephone system from the other Hawaiian islands. The radius for an effective satellite kill for the various prompt radiations produced by such a nuclear weapon in space was determined to be roughly 80 km. Further testing to this end was carried out, and embodied in a
Department of Defense program,
Program 437.
Drawbacks
There are problems with nuclear weapons carried over to testing and deployment scenarios, however. Because of the very large radius associated with nuclear events, it was nearly impossible to prevent indiscriminate damage to other satellites, including one's own satellites.
Starfish Prime produced an
artificial radiation belt in space which soon destroyed three satellites (
Ariel,
TRAAC, and
Transit 4B all failed after traversing the radiation belt, while
Cosmos V,
Injun I and
Telstar 1 suffered minor degradation, due to some
radiation damage to
solar cells, etc.). The
radiation dose rate was at least 60
rads/day at four months after
Starfish for a well-shielded satellite or manned capsule in a
polar circular earth orbit, which caused NASA concern with regard to its manned space exploration programs.
Differences from atmospheric tests
In general, nuclear effects in space (or very high altitudes) have a qualitatively different display. While an atmospheric nuclear explosion has a characteristic
mushroom-shaped cloud, high-altitude and space explosions tend to manifest a spherical 'cloud,' reminiscent of
other space-based explosions until distorted by
Earth's magnetic field, and the
charged particles resulting from the blast can cross hemispheres to create an
auroral display which has led documentary maker
Peter Kuran to characterize these detonations as 'the
rainbow bombs'. The visual effects of a high-altitude or space-based explosion may last longer than atmospheric tests, sometimes in excess of 30 minutes. Heat from the
Bluegill Triple Prime shot, at an altitude of 50 kilometers (31 mi), was felt by personnel on the ground at
Johnston Atoll, and this test caused
retina burns to two personnel at
ground zero who were not wearing their safety goggles.
High-altitude nuclear explosion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_nuclear_explosion
Did 1958 US Thermonuclear Test Create the Hole in the Ozone Layer?
More and more people are connecting two dots: a 1958 US hydrogen bomb test in the upper atmosphere off South Africa and the hole in the ozone layer in the South Hemisphere. Based on recently declassified information, it is becoming clear that even at the time of the test, scientists were concerned that the ultraviolet flash set off by these massive explosions would burn a hole in the ozone layer. Remember the ozone layer protects us from ultraviolet rays and certain skin cancer.
The test in question was the brainchild of MIT President and Eisenhower Science Advisor, James Killian. It was designed to test a theory put forth by Nicholas Christofilos, an American-Greek physicist. The idea was that the electromagnetic pulse from a thermonuclear explosion in the upper atmosphere could disable Russian intercontinental missiles in flight. The Pentagon also wanted to test firing an intercontinental ballistic missile from a ship.
According to Anne Jacobsen’s book
Area 51, the test, code named Argus, was authorized by President Eisenhower and carried off in record time. “On August 27, August 30 and September 6, 1958 three nuclear warheads were launched from X-17 rockets from the deck of the USS
Norton Sound as the warship floated off the coast of South Africa in the South Atlantic Ocean.” The rockets carried the warheads 300 miles into near space and then the 3.8 megaton bombs detonated. 3.8 megatons is equivalent to an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter scale.
3.8 megatons is a lot of energy to unleash in near space above the South Hemisphere. The South Hemisphere was chosen to hide the test from the Russians, The ultraviolet radiation from these three explosions ripped through the ozone layer and blew a hole in it.
Ironically, the tests were said to be unsuccessful. The electronic pulse didn’t disarm the triggering devices on the test ICBM’s in flight, or did they?
Anne Jacobsen in her excellent book,
Area 51, repeatedly makes the point that the Manhattan Project, later Atomic Energy Commission, now Department of Energy, created a ‘deep’ government that is self-governed. Even the President of the United States, the Commander in Chief, does not have clearance to read the AEC’s most secret documents. The Manhattan Project and the Cold War created a ‘black ops’ super state — Eisenhower called the military industrial complex — that still exists, is compartmentalized on a ‘need to know’ basis and outside the oversight of the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary branches of government.
Edward Snowden is a hero in my eyes because he exposed a corner of the ‘black ops’ deep state. The more we learn about what the secret ‘black ops’ deep state has done and is doing, the more every American should be concerned that an unelected shadow elite is running the country’s foreign policy.
Blowing a hole in the ozone layer is simply madness. James Killian was a madman, not a patriot.
Did 1958 US Thermonuclear Test Create the Hole in the Ozone Layer? | Military, News | GroundReport.com – Latest World News & Opinions
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