Operation Niblick facts for kids

Operation Niblick was a series of 41 nuclear tests carried out by the United States between 1963 and 1964. These tests were done deep underground. They happened after a series called Operation Roller Coaster and before Operation Whetstone.

What Was Operation Niblick?

Operation Niblick was a large group of nuclear tests. The United States conducted these tests over two years. Most of them took place at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). This site is a special area in Nevada used for testing.

Why Were These Tests Done?

The main reason for these tests was to develop new nuclear weapons. Scientists and engineers wanted to make these weapons better and safer. They also wanted to understand how they worked underground.

Some tests had other goals too. A few were part of "peaceful research." This research explored how nuclear explosions could be used for things like digging canals. This was part of a program called Operation Plowshare. Other tests were for safety experiments or to help verify detection methods.

Where Did the Tests Happen?

Most of the tests in Operation Niblick happened at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). This is a large, remote area in Nevada. It was chosen because it was far from big cities. One special test, called Shoal, happened near Fallon, Nevada. This was done to study how underground tests could be detected.

Key Facts About the Tests

Operation Niblick included 41 separate nuclear explosions. All of them were set off deep underground in shafts. The biggest explosion was the Bilby test. It had a yield of 249 kilotons. A kiloton is equal to 1,000 tons of TNT. This means Bilby was like 249,000 tons of TNT exploding!

The smallest tests had very low yields. Some were "less than 20 kilotons." Others were even smaller, like 80 tons or 150 tons. The tests had different purposes, from making new weapons to peaceful research.

What is "Venting"?

You might see the word "venting" mentioned with some tests. This means that some radioactive gas or particles escaped from the ground. This happened when the underground explosion caused cracks. Scientists monitored this to understand how safe the tests were. Sometimes, venting was detected only at the test site. Other times, it was detected further away.

Notable Tests in the Series

• Bilby (September 13, 1963): This was the most powerful test in the series. It had a yield of 249 kilotons.
• Shoal (October 26, 1963): This test was special because it happened outside the main Nevada Test Site. It was part of Vela Uniform, a project to learn how to detect underground nuclear tests.
• Klickitat (February 20, 1964): This was a "peaceful research" test. It aimed to create a better nuclear explosive for digging and other civil uses.
• Pike (March 13, 1964): This test vented a lot of radioactive material. It vented for over a minute after the explosion. This was likely due to cracks in the ground.
• Dub (June 30, 1964): Another "Plowshare" experiment. It helped scientists learn how to place nuclear devices underground.

After Operation Niblick

After Operation Niblick finished in 1964, the United States continued its nuclear testing program. The next series of tests was called Operation Whetstone. Underground testing continued for many years. It stopped when countries agreed to ban all nuclear explosions.