Operation Cresset facts for kids

The United States's Cresset nuclear test series was a group of 22 nuclear tests conducted by the United States. These tests happened between 1977 and 1978. They followed a series called Operation Fulcrum and came before the Operation Quicksilver series.

What Were the Cresset Nuclear Tests?

The Cresset series included 22 different nuclear tests. All of these tests were done underground. This means the nuclear devices were exploded deep below the Earth's surface. They were either placed in long, deep holes called shafts or in tunnels.

Where Did These Tests Happen?

All the Cresset nuclear tests took place at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). This is a large area in Nevada, USA, where the United States used to conduct many of its nuclear weapons tests. The tests happened in different parts of the NTS, like Area U3, Area U7, and Area U12.

Why Did They Do These Tests?

Most of the tests in the Cresset series were for "weapons development." This means scientists and engineers were working to design and improve nuclear weapons. They wanted to make sure the weapons worked as planned and to test new ideas.

Some tests had other purposes:

• Weapon Effect Tests: One test, named Hybla Gold, was done to see how a nuclear explosion would affect a special underground tunnel system. This was important for designing missile bases. Another test, Diablo Hawk, checked the effect of an explosion on a specific warhead called the W87.
• Safety Experiment: The Asco test was a "safety experiment." This type of test helps make sure that nuclear weapons are safe and won't accidentally explode or release harmful materials.

How Powerful Were the Cresset Tests?

The power of a nuclear explosion is called its "yield." It's measured in kilotons (kt). One kiloton is equal to the power of 1,000 tons of TNT. The tests in the Cresset series had different yields:

• The smallest tests were around 600 tons (0.6 kt) or 800 tons (0.8 kt).
• The largest tests were very powerful, reaching up to 150 kilotons (150 kt). This is like 150,000 tons of TNT exploding!
• Some tests were described as "less than 20 kt," meaning their exact yield was not publicly shared but was below that limit.
• One test, Transom, was noted as having "no yield" and was called a "fizzle". This means the nuclear device didn't explode as it was supposed to.

What About Fallout?

"Fallout" refers to the radioactive dust and particles that can spread after a nuclear explosion. Since all the Cresset tests were underground, they were designed to contain the explosion and prevent fallout. However, some tests still had "venting detected." This means a small amount of radioactive material, like Iodine-131, escaped into the air.

Interesting Facts from the Tests

• The Hybla Gold test in November 1977 was specifically designed to test a concept for the MX missile. They wanted to see if a nearby nuclear blast would make a buried trench act like a "shock tube."
• Two tests, Cremino - 1 and Cremino-Caerphilly - 2, happened at the exact same time in the same hole on September 27, 1978. This shows how scientists sometimes conducted multiple experiments together.
• The Transom test in May 1978 was a "fizzle," meaning it didn't work. The device was later destroyed by another explosion in 1979 during the Quicksilver/Hearts test.