Operation Julin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Julin |
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Equipment being lowered into the hole for Julin Divider.
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| Information | |
| Country | United States |
| Test site |
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| Period | 1991–1992 |
| Number of tests | 7 |
| Test type | underground shaft, tunnel |
| Max. yield | 100 kilotonnes of TNT (420 TJ) |
| Navigation | |
| Previous test series | Operation Sculpin |
Operation Julin was a group of 7 nuclear tests conducted by the United States in 1991–1992. These tests followed the Operation Sculpin series, and were the last before negotiations began for the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
Shots
Diamond Fortune
Shot Diamond Fortune was to investigate blast flow field produced by a modern nuclear weapon. The shot was fired in a half-spherical cavity with an 11 metres (36 ft) radius, with a 4 metres (13 ft) height of burst. The floor was divided into two sections, one covered in base soil and the other in snow simulant.
Hunters Trophy
Shot Hunters Trophy included the experiment Hydroplus. The Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) developed a means of verifying non-standard nuclear tests using ground peak stress and velocity at several ranges from a possible detonation point using computer hydrocodes. These codes required calibration data which was gathered at Distant Zenith. Further Hydroplus experiments were conducted in shot Distant Zenith of Operation Sculpin.
Cancelled tests
Three tests were being prepared when the moratorium ended further nuclear testing: Icecap, Gabbs and Greenwater.
Icecap was scheduled for spring 1993. It had a planned yield of 20 to 150 kilotonnes of TNT (84 to 628 TJ) and was to be fired at 1,557 feet (475 m) below the surface in Area 9. A diagnostics canister exists at the site, weighing 500,000 pounds (230,000 kg). The canister contains several experiments to be used in the test including THREX (threshold x-ray experiments) which used solid-state detectors to detect photon recoils given off by thin foils, PINEX (pinhole imaging neutron experiment) which used a pinhole to focus radiation onto a fluoroscope, NUEX (neutron experiment) which measured neutron output, and TOMEX (tomographic reconstruction experiment) which imaged the device using a streak camera. These experiments used line of sight (LOS) pipes to channel gamma, x-ray and neutron radiation from the device to them.
Gabbs was planned for early 1993 in Area 2. Unlike Icecap, no diagnostics canister is assembled at the site.
Greenwater was to be fired in Area 19.
List of the nuclear tests
| Name | Date time (UT) | Local time zone | Location | Elevation + height | Delivery Purpose |
Device | Yield | Fallout | References | Notes |
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| Lubbock | October 18, 1991 19:12:00.0 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3mt 37°03′48″N 116°02′46″W / 37.06338°N 116.04616°W | 1,213 m (3,980 ft)–457.2 m (1,500 ft) | underground shaft, weapons development |
53 kt | Venting detected, 0.1 Ci (3.7 GBq) | |||
| Junction | March 26, 1992 16:30:00.0 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U19bg 37°16′21″N 116°21′38″W / 37.27241°N 116.36065°W | 2,013 m (6,604 ft)–622 m (2,041 ft) | underground shaft, weapons development |
100 kt | Treaty verification test. | |||
| Diamond Fortune | April 30, 1992 16:30:00.0 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U12p.05 37°14′03″N 116°09′30″W / 37.23413°N 116.15823°W | 1,656 m (5,433 ft)–236 m (774 ft) | tunnel, weapon effect |
3 kt | Venting detected, 0.2 Ci (7.4 GBq) | |||
| Victoria | June 19, 1992 16:45:00.0 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3kv 37°00′19″N 116°00′40″W / 37.00537°N 116.01101°W | 1,179 m (3,868 ft)–244 m (801 ft) | underground shaft, weapons development |
80 t | ||||
| Galena-Green - 3 | June 23, 1992 15:00:00.07 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9cv 37°07′26″N 116°01′56″W / 37.12384°N 116.03232°W | 1,269 m (4,163 ft) + | underground shaft, safety experiment |
less than 5 kt | Simultaneous, same hole. | |||
| Galena-Orange - 2 | June 23, 1992 15:00:00.07 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9cv 37°07′26″N 116°01′56″W / 37.12384°N 116.03232°W | 1,269 m (4,163 ft) + | underground shaft, safety experiment |
less than 5 kt | Simultaneous, same hole. | |||
| Galena-Yellow - 1 | June 23, 1992 15:00:00.072 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9cv 37°07′26″N 116°01′56″W / 37.12384°N 116.03232°W | 1,269 m (4,163 ft)–400 m (1,300 ft) | underground shaft, weapons development |
less than 5 kt | Simultaneous, same hole. | |||
| Hunters Trophy | September 18, 1992 17:00:00.078 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U12n.24 37°12′25″N 116°12′39″W / 37.20687°N 116.21085°W | 1,827 m (5,994 ft)–385.3 m (1,264 ft) | tunnel, weapon effect |
4 kt | Venting detected, 1 Ci (37 GBq) | Test included experiment Hydroplus. | ||
| Divider | September 23, 1992 15:04:00.0 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3ml 37°01′14″N 115°59′20″W / 37.02063°N 115.98878°W | 1,208 m (3,963 ft)–426 m (1,398 ft) | underground shaft, weapons development |
5 kt | Venting detected, 0.1 Ci (3.7 GBq) | Last U.S. nuclear test; "test to ensure safety of deterrent forces". |
Gallery
- Operation Julin
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PINEX equipment for shot Junction.
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Diagnostics rack for shot Divider.
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Diagnostics rack for shot Divider.
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Zero point (warhead point) for shot Diamond Fortune. The test device would be affixed to the inverted tripod. The points extending from the walls are for blast measurement.
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Alpha (neutron multiplication rate) sensor for shot Diamond Fortune.
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The tower that would have lowered the Icecap device into the ground
