Project Plowshare, 1 September 1962

8/3/2019 Project Plowshare, 1 September 1962

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UNCLASSIFIED

AD . 297 052ARMED SERVICES TECHNICAL INFORMATION AOGCY

ARLINGTON HALL STATIONARLINGN 12, VIRGINIA

UNCLSSIED,


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NOTICE! 'When goVernment or other djravingg, spec-ficatiOns Or Other data are used for any Pur~poseOther than in 00nne~tion vith a definitely relatedgovernment procurement operation, the ti. S.GOvernment, thereby incurs no responsibility, nor anyobligation whatsoever- and the fatta h oeamentmayhavo~ulaedfurished, or in any wa ysupplied the said draWingS, SPecifiotiOns, or otherdata is not to be regarded by i1*licatiot Or other-vise as in any manner licensing the holder or anyother person or corporatioa) or conveying any ri htOr permission to manufacture, use or Sell anyPatented invention that may in any way be relatedthereto.


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- ~DUAR TM~ FlIELD COMMAND0.. WENSZ ATOMIC SUPPCIIT ASiAIDL DAS UQU3UKB NEW H3XI0

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PRWET PlWvSHARES18PtmbdW 1962

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HEADQUARTERS FIELD COMMANDDEFENSE ATOMIC SUPPORT AGENCYSANDIA BASE, ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

PEACEFUL USES OF NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES

PROJECT PLOWSHARE

1 September 1962


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FOREWORD

This report Summarizes the AEC activity in the peaceful uses ofnuclear explosives, The primary effort in this field is being conductedby the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory uider the PLOWSHARE program.it is intended that subsequent reports be issued annually, with semi-annual supplements to maintain currency in the basic report. A selectedbibliography is included for the reader who desires further information.This report was prepared by Captain Wilbur C. Buckheit, U. SiArmy, a member of the Livermore Division, Field Command, Defense

Atomic Support agency.FOR TH E COMMANDBR:

Colonel, USADirector, Research Division

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DISTRIBUTION LISTDirector Of Defense Research and Engineering,Washington 25, D.C. 1Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Atomic Energy),Washington 25, D.C. 1Chairman, Military Liaison Committee, P.O. Box 1814Washington 13, D.C. 1Director, Division of Military Application, Atomic EnergyCommission, U.S. AEC, Washington 25, D.C. 1Albuquerque Orpeations Office, Atomic Energy Commission,7P. O. Box 5400, Albuquetque, New Mexico ISan Francisco Operations Office, Atomic Energy Commission,2 1 Bancroft Way, Berkeley 4, California 1

Chairman, joint Advanced Study ,Group, joint Chiefs ofStaff, Washington 25, D.C. IDirector of Plans and Policy (1-5), joint Staff, The Pentagon,Washington 25, DC., Attn: AE and GM Branch 1Director, Central Intelligence Agency, Washington 25, D.C.,For: Dr. Herbert Scoville, Jr. IDirector, Stanford Research Institute, Menlo Park, California,Attn: Document Custodian, For: Dr. R. V. Vaile, Jr. IDirector, Lincoln Laboratory, Massachusetts institute ofTechnology, P.O. Box ?3, Lexington 73, Mass., Attn:Publications, for Dr. R. V. Whitman 1Dr. Nathan M. Newmark, University of Illinois, Room 207,Talbot Laboratory, Urbana, Illinois 1Director, Division of Peaceful Nuclear Explosives, AtomicEnergy Commission, Washington 25 , D.C., For: Mr. John S.Kelly 5Chief, Defense Atomic Support Agency, Washington 25, D. C. 4Commander, Field Command, Defense Atomic Support Agency,Sandia Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico 25Depiartment of the ArmyDeputy Chief of Staff for Military Operations, Department ofthe Army, Washington 25, D.C. 1

Chief of Research and Development, Depiartment of the Army,Washington 25, D..C., Attn: Atomic DivisionCommanding General, Headquarters, Continental ArmyCommand, Ft. Monroe, Virginia 1Drector, Office of Special Weapons Development,

Continental Army Command, Ft. Bliss, Texas 1

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Department of the-Army Cnt'd)Commandin g General, U. S. Army, Materiel Commrand, 3Wasingtoni 25, D. C.Comnmanding General,- Ab erdeen Provinig Ground, Aberdeen,Maryland, Attri: Balisticsg Research L-aboratory IGomm-ni-ading Officer, Picatinny Arsenal, Dover, Newitrsey, Attn: SMNUPA TK ICommandant, Command and Gen eral Staff College, Ft. ________________Leavenworthi Kansas, Attn? Director, Departmiient 7 1Comnmandant, Command and General Staff College, Ft.Leavelnworthi Kansas, Attn: Archives 1Coinnandant, Army War College, Carlisle Barracks,jPeiinsylVft-ma, Attn, AIC-WCL 1Chief of Engineers, Department of the Army, Washington 25,M.C., Attn:. SNGRD/S and ENGCW/E 2Dir.?xxor, Ui. S. Army Engineer Waterways ExperimentStation, P. 0. Box 631, Halls Perry Road, Vicksburg, miss. 1Comnnanding Officer, U. S. Army Engineer Research andDevelopment Laboratories, Fort lielvoir, Virginia 1

Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Department of theArmy, Washington 25, D. C. 1The Surgeon General, Department of the Army,Washington 2-5, D. C. IDeat.ment of the Navy

Chefr~ Nva perations , Navy Departme nt ,Washington 25, D. C., Attn: O-p- 75 2Chief o~ f Naval Operations, Navy Department,Washiagto 25, D. C., Attn: Op-07 1Chieff of Naval Operations Navy DeparmetWashtington25, D. C., Attn: Op O4 1.0-iief of Naval Operatio-ns, Navy Department,Waolhington 25, D. C. .tnOp-Q1Commandant of the Marine Corps, Wahntn 25,

D .C, Attn: Code AO3H1Chidf, B~ureau of Naval Weapons, Department of the

Navy, Washington 25, D. C4


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Department o~fthe Nay ,(Cont"d)Chief, Bureau of Yards and Docks, Navy Department,Washington 25, D. C. , Attn: CDR W. 1. Christensen 1Chief, Bureau of Medicine & Surgery,, Navy Department,Washington 25, D6C. 1Commander, U, S. Naval Ordnance Laboratory,White Oak, Maryland 1Commander, U.S. Naval Ordnance Test Station,China Lake, California 1

mmandoing.Offiert and Director, U. S. Naval RadioloicatDefense Laboratory, San Francisco 24 , California 1CQmmanding Officer, US, Naval Weapons EvaluationFacility, Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, New Mexico 1Commanding Offiler and Director, U. S. Naval CivilEngineering Laboratory, Port Hueneme, California 1Officer in Chargg, Explosive Ordnance DisposalTechnical Center, U.S. Naval Propellant Plant,Indian Head, MarylandDe prmen of the Air_ FoeDeputy Chief of Staff, Development, Headquarters,USAF, Washington 25i D.C. IDirdctor of Requirements (AFORQ-SA/M), Headquarters,USAF., Washington 25, D.C. 2Deputy Chief of Staff, Development, Headquarters, USAF,Washington 25, D.C., Attn: AFDRT-GW IAssistant for Operations Analysis, Deputy Chief of Staff,Operations, Headquarters, USAF, Washington 25, D.C. 1Headquarters, USAF (AFTAC), Washington 25, D.C. 1Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Air Command, Offutt AirForc.e Base, Omaha, Nebraska, Attn. OAWS 1Commander, Air Force Special Weapons Center,Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico 1Commander, Air Force Systems Command, Andrews Air

Force Base, Maryland 1Chief, Materiel Atomic Energy Group, _Directorate of Supply &Services, DCS/M, Headquarters, USAF, Washington 25 , D.C. 1Th e RAND Corporation., 1700 Main Street4. Santa Monica,

Californla 1

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De -Irtrnent of the Air-Porce- (Cont'd)Headquarterst, Air Force Special Weapons Center,

Structureg Division (SWRS), Kirtland Air Force Base,Albuquerque, New Mexico 1Director, Air University Library, United States Air Force,Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama

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TABLE OF CONTENTSPAGE- NO .

L. INTRODUC0TIO0NA. PLOWSHARE DEFINEDl 8

B.BACKROUND8II. PROTECTS _________________

A. EXCAVATION,1. General 132. Recent Experimenitation 163. CHAR-IOT 174. BUGGOY 18

B3 . THE REC OVERY OF POWER AND ISOTOPES1. GNOME 192 .iC-0AC 21C. WATER RESOURCES &MINING1. General 222. Water Resources 223. Mining 22

III. NUJCLEAR DEVICESA. DEVICE CHARGES 24B. DESIGN OF NEW DEVICES 24

IV. REFERENCES FOR PLOWSHARE PROGRAM 25

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I. INTRODUCTIONA. PLOWSHarE DEFINED

1. The possibility of non military use of Nuclear Explosives (NE)has been discussed since the detonation of the first nuclear device. ThePLOWSHARE program is the study of the industrial and other peaceful usesof nuclear explosives.

2. In Pebruary 1957, the first symposium on the industtial Usesof Nuclear Explosives was held at the University of California LawrenceRadiation Laborafory (LM). This symposium resulted in the establishmentof Project PLOWSHARE.i Theoretical studies showed that several projectsinvolving NE appeared to be technically and economrically feasible. Inaddition, areas requiring further experimentation were uncovered. Thestatus of these projects and experiments is reported in this document.

B, BALCKGRUND1. PLOWSHARE studies primarily involve underground nuclear

detonations which are either completely contained or which create craters.Table I lsts several underground experiments which have been analyzedfor information on cratering and containment.

2. Attempts to relate crater dimensions to the depth of burial andthe yield of the explosive led to theoretical conclusions that thesedimensions must be scaled by the cube root of the yield. Hence, for twodifferent yields, detonated at the same scaled depth of burial*, the scaledcrater radius or de2th* should beequal. These relationshis_ were derived* Scaled depth = depth of burial ft.. . W /3

Scaled crater radius a ctual radius or depth (ft)or depth W . .

W is yield in kilotons.For small charges, it is convenient to scale dimensions such that:X (lambda) depth of burial (ft

Unless otherwise indicated, these definitions apply throughout the report.8


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from dimensional analysis. A suggested refinement considered the onedimensional effect of gravity and predicted that the actual crater dimensionsshould scale as the one-fourth power of the yield. Experimentation wasneeded to verify these relationships. Table I lists the underground nucleardetonations in order of increasing scaled depths. (Crater dimensionscaling is not shown in this table.)

3. Test experience at the Nevada Test Site indicates that complete--containment of radioactive debris from a nuclear device of 20 KT or lesscan be expected if the depth of burial in the tuff deposits is 450 W 1 /3 feetor greater (where W is the-yield in KT). Uncertainties concerning thestructural effects on the tuff above the cavities which will be created bydetonations of devices larger than 20 KT dictate deeper depths of burialfor these larger yields. Computer codes, though not entirely accurate, doindicate that the depth of burial for containment is dependent on the mediuminwhich the device is detonated, Further experimentation is required toimprove the computer codes or to establish dependable empirical formulaefor various media.

4. Nuclear tests, including several cratering shots at the NevadaTest Site, have yielded information permitting estimates on the amount ofradioactive material introduced into the biosphere from yields of 100 KT orless. Fallout prediction depends on the quantity of activity in the initialcloud and the distribution of the activity according to the fall rates of thesol! particles that have scavenged the radioactive materials. For predIc-tion of fallout, two particle size groups are used: those particles greaterthan 40 microns (i) in diameter and those smaller than 40 t. The largerdiameter group produces the "close-in" radiation fields. The particles inthe smaller diameter group fall very slowly and move with the atmosphereto extremely large distances, Figure 1 shows the fractions of activityvented to the biosphere as a function of the ratio of depth of burst to depthof crater and of particle size. Because of the interrelationship betweenparticle size and ratios of depth of burst to depth of crater, the curves as

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drawn are not sensitive to the medium in, which the crate? is produced. Thedata indicate th,at, for a depth ratio of greater than 0. 3, essentially allactivity-is contained on the larger particles. At this point, the wotld-widecontribution, becomes negiigible. Cratering tests In desert alluvium indicatethat near optimum depths of burial which produce maximum, crater dimensionsalso produce depth ratios greater than 0. 3. Figure 1 depicts the fraction ofgross activity released by a cratering detonation. The distribution ofactqvity by specific isotope and fital surface radiation fineld hadetermined by calculations for the specific device and meteorologicalconditions for a given project.

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Project Plowshare, 1 September 1962

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