Underground atom bomb testIn 1951, the first U.S. underground atom bomb test - designated “Uncle” - was detonated. The low-yield 1.2 kt bomb was buried 17-ft sub-surface at Frenchman Flat, a 123-square-mile (320-sq.km.) dry lake bed at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). It was witnessed by members of Congress and military officers. The explosion, part of Operation Buster-Jangle, caused a hole 800-ft in diameter and 100-ft deep. Since WW II, five U.S. nuclear weapons tests had been conducted at distant islands in the Pacific Ocean. To reduce the extensive logistic effort, time and cost previously involved, testing was begun within the U.S. Although NTS originally was selected by criteria for atmospheric tests, it subsequently also was used for underground tests. |
