Operation Roller Coaster facts for kids

Operation Roller Coaster was a group of four special tests. The United States and the United Kingdom worked together on them in 1963. These tests happened at the Nevada Test Site. It's important to know that these tests did not involve any nuclear explosions.

What Was Operation Roller Coaster?

The main goal of Operation Roller Coaster was to study how radioactive particles spread. This was important for two reasons. First, they wanted to understand what would happen if a "dirty bomb" exploded. A dirty bomb uses regular explosives to scatter radioactive material. Second, they wanted to see what would happen if a nuclear weapon accidentally exploded without a nuclear reaction. This could happen during transport or storage.

Why Were These Tests Done?

Scientists also wanted to check how well special storage buildings could hold in an explosion. They needed to know if these buildings could stop radioactive particles from spreading. These tests helped them learn how to keep people safe and control dangerous materials. The tests came after a series called Operation Storax and before Operation Niblick.

The Four Tests

There were four tests in Operation Roller Coaster. Each test was done on the ground, meaning it was a "dry surface" test. None of them caused a nuclear explosion, so their "yield" (the power of an explosion) was zero. The main purpose was to measure how plutonium, a radioactive material, would spread.

• Double Tracks: This test took place on May 15, 1963. It was a safety test to see how plutonium would spread during storage or transport.
• Clean Slate I: On May 25, 1963, this test also looked at plutonium dispersal. After this test, some radioactive material was detected outside the test area.
• Clean Slate II: This test happened on May 31, 1963. It continued to study the risks of plutonium spreading from storage or transport.
• Clean Slate III: The final test was on June 9, 1963. Like Clean Slate I, some spreading of radioactive material was noticed outside the test site after this experiment.

These tests helped experts understand how to better handle and store nuclear materials safely.

See also

In Spanish: Operación Roller Coaster para niños