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diff --git a/old/2trnt10.txt b/old/2trnt10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a810b27 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/2trnt10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,881 @@ +***The Project Gutenberg Etext of Trinity [Atomic Test] Site*** +******by White Sands Missile Range Public Affairs Office******* + +On the 50th Anniversary of the Atomic Bomb + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + + +Trinity Site: 1945-1995. + A National Historic Landmark + White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico + + + + +Contents: + + Radiation at Trinity Site. + How to Get to Trinity Site. + Trinity Site National Historic Landmark. + The Manhattan Project. + The Theory. + Building a test site. + Jumbo. + Bomb Assembly. + The test. + After the explosion. + It's the Schmidt house. + Afterwards. + White Sands Missile Range. + Reading List. + + + +"The effects could well be called unprecedented, magnificent, +beautiful, stupendous, and terrifying. No man-made phenomenon of such +tremendous power had ever occurred before. The lighting effects +beggared description. The whole country was lighted by a searing +light with the intensity many times that of the midday sun." + +Brig. Gen. Thomas Farrell + + + +Radiation at Trinity Site + + +In deciding whether to visit ground zero at Trinity Site, the +following information may prove helpful to you. + +Radiation levels in the fenced, ground zero area are low. On an +average the levels are only 10 times greater than the region's natural +background radiation. A one-hour visit to the inner fenced area will +result in a whole body exposure of one-half to one milliroentgen. + +To put this in perspective, a U.S. adult receives an average exposure +of 90 milliroentgens every year from natural and medical sources. For +instance, the Department of Energy says we receive between 35 and 50 +milliroentgens every year from the sun and from 20 to 35 +milliroentgens every year from our food. Living in a brick house adds +50 milliroentgens of exposure every year compared to living in a frame +house. Finally, flying coast to coast in a jet airliner gives an +exposure of between three and five milliroentgens on each trip. + +Although radiation levels are low, some feel any extra exposure should +be avoided. The decision is yours. It should be noted that small +children and pregnant women are potentially more at risk than the rest +of the population and are generally considered groups who should only +receive exposure in conjunction with medical diagnosis and treatment. +Again, the choice is yours. + +At ground zero, Trinitite, the green, glassy substance found in the +area, is still radioactive and must not be picked up. + + +Typical radiation exposures for Americans + Per The National Council on Radiation Protection + +On hour at ground zero = 1/2 mrem + +Cosmic rays from space = 40 mrem at sea level per year + +Radioactive minerals in rocks and soil = 55 mrems per year + +Radioactivity from air, water, and food = anywhere from 20 to 400 mrem +per year + +About 22 mrem per chest X-ray and 900 mrem for whole-mouth dental X- +rays + +Smoking one pack of cigarettes a day for one year = 40 mrem + +Miscellaneous such as watch dials and smoke detectors = 2 mrem per +year + + + +How to Get to Trinity Site + + +Trinity Site, where the world's first atomic bomb was exploded in +1945, is normally open to the public twice a year--on the first +Saturday in April and October. + +Trinity is located on the northern end of the 3,200-square-mile White +Sands Missile Range, N.M., between the towns of Carrizozo and Socorro, +N.M. There are two ways of entering the restricted missile range on +tour days. + +Visitors can enter through the range's Stallion Range Center which is +five miles south of Highway 380. The turnoff is 12 miles east of San +Antonio, N.M. , and 53 miles west of Carrizozo, N.M. The Stallion +gate will be open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors arriving at the gate +between those hours will receive handouts and will be allowed to drive +unescorted the 17 miles to Trinity Site. The road is paved and +marked. + +The other way of entering the missile range is by travelling with a +caravan sponsored by the Alamogordo (N.M.) Chamber of Commerce. The +caravan forms at the Otero County Fairgrounds in Alamogordo and leaves +at 8 a.m. Visitors entering this way will travel as an escorted group +with military police to and from Trinity Site. The drive is 170 miles +round trip. There are no service station facilities on the missile +range. The caravan is scheduled to leave Trinity Site at 12:30 p.m. +for the return to Alamogordo. The caravan may leave later if there is +a large number of vehicles in the returning caravan. + +In 1995, an additional open house will be conducted on July 16, the +50th anniversary of the Trinity test. Visitors may enter the missile +range through the Stallion Range Center gate from 5 to 11 a.m. There +will be no caravan leaving from Alamogordo, N.M., for this event. The +early hours will allow visitors to be on-site at 5:29:45 a.m., the +time the Trinity Site detonation occurred, and should help visitors +avoid the 100-plus degree afternoon temperatures common here in July. + +Included on the Trinity Site tour is Ground Zero where the atomic bomb +was placed on a 100-foot steel tower and exploded on July 16, 1945. A +small monument now marks the spot. Visitors also see the McDonald +ranch house where the world's first plutonium core for a bomb was +assembled. The missile range provides historical photographs and a +Fat Man bomb casing for display. There are no ceremonies or speakers. + +Portable toilet facilities are available on site. Hot dogs and sodas +are sold at the parking lot. Cameras are allowed at Trinity Site, but +their use is strictly prohibited anywhere else on White Sands Missile +Range. + +For more information, contact the White Sands Missile Range Public +Affairs Office at (505) 678-1134/1700. + + + +Trinity Site National Historic Landmark + + +Trinity Site is where the first atomic bomb was tested at 5:29:45 a.m. +Mountain War Time on July 16, 1945. The 19 kiloton explosion not only +led to a quick end to the war in the Pacific but also ushered the +world into the atomic age. All life on Earth has been touched by the +event which took place here. + +The 51,500-acre area was declared a national historic landmark in +1975. The landmark includes base camp, where the scientists and +support group lived; ground zero, where the bomb was placed for the +explosion; and the McDonald ranch house, where the plutonium core to +the bomb was assembled. On your visit to Trinity Site you will be +able to see ground zero and the McDonald ranch house. In addition, on +your drive into the Trinity Site area you will pass one of the old +instrumentation bunkers which is beside the road just west of ground +zero. + + + +The Manhattan Project + + +The story of Trinity Site begins with the formation of the Manhattan +Project in June 1942. The project was given overall responsibility of +designing and building an atomic bomb. At the time it was a race to +beat the Germans who, according to intelligence reports, were building +their own atomic bomb. + +Under the Manhattan Project three large facilities were constructed. +At Oak Ridge, Tenn., huge gas diffusion and electromagnetic process +plants were built to separate uranium 235 from its more common form, +uranium 238. Hanford, Wash. became the home for nuclear reactors +which produced a new element called plutonium. Both uranium 235 and +plutonium are fissionable and can be used to produce an atomic +explosion. + +Los Alamos was established in northern New Mexico to design and build +the bomb. At Los Alamos many of the greatest scientific minds of the +day labored over the theory and actual construction of the device. +The group was led by Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer who is credited with +being the driving force behind building a workable bomb by the end of +the war. + + + +The Theory + + +Los Alamos scientists devised two designs for an atomic bomb--one +using the uranium and another using the plutonium. The uranium bomb +was a simple design and scientists were confident it would work +without testing. The plutonium bomb worked by compressing the +plutonium into a critical mass which sustains a chain reaction. The +compression of the plutonium ball was to be accomplished by +surrounding it with lens-shaped charges of conventional explosives. +They were designed to all explode at the same instant. The force is +directed inward, thus smashing the plutonium from all sides. + +In an atomic explosion, a chain reaction picks up speed as atoms +split, releasing neutrons plus great amounts of energy. The escaping +neutrons strike and split more atoms, thus releasing still more +neutrons and energy. In a nuclear explosion this all occurs in a +millionth of a second with billions of atoms being split. + +Project leaders decided a test of the plutonium bomb was essential +before it could be used as a weapon of war. From a list of eight +sites in California, Texas, New Mexico and Colorado, Trinity Site was +chosen as the test site. The area already was controlled by the +government because it was part of the Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery +Range which was established in 1942. The secluded Jornado del Muerto +was perfect as it provided isolation for secrecy and safety, but was +still close to Los Alamos. + + + +Building a test site + + +In the fall of 1944 soldiers started arriving at Trinity Site to +prepare for the test. Marvin Davis and his military police unit +arrived from Los Alamos at the site on Dec. 30, 1944. The unit set up +security checkpoints around the area and had plans to use horses to +ride patrol. According to Davis the distances were too great and they +resorted to jeeps and trucks for transportation. The horses were +sometimes used for polo, however. Davis said that Capt. Bush, base +camp commander, somehow got the soldiers real polo equipment to play +with but they preferred brooms and a soccer ball. + +Other recreation at the site included volleyball and hunting. Davis +said Capt. Bush allowed the soldiers with experience to use the Army +rifles to hunt deer and pronghorn. The meat was then cooked up in the +mess hall. Leftovers went into soups which Davis said were excellent. + +Of course, some of the soldiers were from cities and unfamiliar with +being outdoors a lot. Davis said he went to relieve a guard at the +Mockingbird Gap post and the soldier told Davis he was surprised by +the number of "crawdads" in the area considering it was so dry. Davis +gave the young man a quick lesson on scorpions and warned him not to +touch. + +Throughout 1945 other personnel arrived at Trinity Site to help +prepare for the test. Carl Rudder was inducted into the Army on Jan. +26, 1945. He said he passed through four camps, took basic for two +days and arrived at Trinity Site on Feb. 17. On arriving he was put +in charge of what he called the "East Jesus and Socorro Light and +Water Company." It was a one-man operation--himself. He was +responsible for maintaining generators, wells, pumps and doing the +power line work. + +A friend of Rudder's, Loren Bourg, had a similar experience. He was a +fireman in civil life and ended up trained as a fireman for the Army. +He worked as the station sergeant at Los Alamos before being sent to +Trinity Site in April 1945. In a letter Bourg said, "I was sent down +here to take over the fire prevention and fire department. Upon +arrival I found I was the fire department, period." + +As the soldiers at Trinity Site settled in they became familiar with +Socorro. They tried to use the water out of the ranch wells but found +it so alkaline they couldn't drink it. In fact, they used Navy salt- +water soap for bathing. They hauled drinking water from the fire +house in Socorro. Gasoline and diesel was purchased from the Standard +bulk plant in Socorro. + +According to Davis, they established a post office box, number 632, in +Socorro so getting their mail was more convenient. The trips into +town also offered them the chance to get their hair cut in a real +barbershop. If they didn't use the shop, Sgt. Greyshock used horse +clippers to trim their hair. + + + +Jumbo + + +The bomb design to be used at Trinity Site actually involved two +explosions. First there would be a conventional explosion involving +the TNT and then, a fraction of a second later, the nuclear explosion, +if a chain reaction was maintained. The scientists were sure the TNT +would explode, but were initially unsure of the plutonium. If the +chain reaction failed to occur, the TNT would blow the very rare and +dangerous plutonium all over the countryside. + +Because of this possibility, Jumbo was designed and built. Originally +it was 25 feet long, 10 feet in diameter and weighed 214 tons. +Scientists were planning to put the bomb in this huge steel jug +because it could contain the TNT explosion if the chain reaction +failed to materialize. This would prevent the plutonium from being +lost. If the explosion occurred as planned, Jumbo would be vaporized. + +Jumbo was brought to Pope, N.M., by rail and unloaded. A specially +built trailer with 64 wheels was used to move Jumbo the 25 miles to +Trinity Site. + +As confidence in the plutonium bomb design grew it was decided not to +use Jumbo. Instead, it was placed in a steel tower about 800 yards +from ground zero. The blast destroyed the tower, but Jumbo survived +intact. + +Today Jumbo rests at the entrance to ground zero so all can see it. +The ends are missing because, in 1946, the Army detonated eight 500- +pound bombs inside it. Because Jumbo was standing on end, the bombs +were stacked in the bottom and the asymmetry of the explosion blew the +ends off. + +To calibrate the instruments which would be measuring the atomic +explosion and to practice a countdown, the Manhattan scientists ran a +simulated blast on May 7. They stacked 100 tons of TNT onto a 20-foot +wooden platform just southeast of ground zero. Louis Hemplemann +inserted a small amount of radioactive material from Hanford into +tubes running through the stack of crates. The scientists hoped to +get a feel for how the radiation might spread in the real test by +analyzing this test. The explosion destroyed the platform, leaving a +small crater with trace amounts of radiation in it. + + + +Bomb Assembly + + +On July 12 the two hemispheres of plutonium were carried to the George +McDonald ranch house just two miles from ground zero. At the house, +Brig. Gen. Thomas Farrell, deputy to Maj. Gen. Leslie Groves, was +asked to sign a receipt for the plutonium. Farrell later said, "I +recall that I asked them if I was going to sign for it shouldn't I +take it and handle it. So I took this heavy ball in my hand and I +felt it growing warm, I got a certain sense of its hidden power. It +wasn't a cold piece of metal, but it was really a piece of metal that +seemed to be working inside. Then maybe for the first time I began to +believe some of the fantastic tales the scientists had told about this +nuclear power." + +At the McDonald ranch house the master bedroom had been turned into a +clean room for the assembly of the bomb core. According to Robert +Bacher, a member of the assembly team, they tried to use only tools +and materials from a special kit. Several of these kits existed and +some were already on their way to Tinian, the island in the Pacific +which was the base for the bombers. The idea was to test the +procedures and tools at Trinity as well as the bomb itself. + +At one minute past midnight on Friday, July 13, the explosive assembly +left Los Alamos for Trinity Site. Later in the morning, assembly of +the plutonium core began. According to Raemer Schreiber, Robert +Bacher was the advisor and Marshall Holloway and Philip Morrison had +overall responsibility. Louis Slotin, Boyce McDaniel and Cyril Smith +were responsible for the mechanical assembly in the ranch house. +Later Holloway was responsible for the mechanical assembly at the +tower. + +In the afternoon of the 13th the core was taken to ground zero for +insertion into the bomb mechanism. + +The bomb was assembled under the tower on July 13. The plutonium core +was inserted into the device with some difficulty. On the first try +it stuck. After letting the temperatures of the plutonium and casing +equalize the core slid smoothly into place. Once the assembly was +complete many of the men took a welcome relief and went swimming in +the water tank east of the McDonald ranch house. + +The next morning the entire bomb was raised to the top of the 100 foot +steel tower and placed in a small shelter. A crew then attached all +the detonators and by 5 p.m. it was complete. + + + +The test + + +Three observation points were established at 10,000 yards from ground +zero. These were wooden shelters protected by concrete and earth. +The south bunker served as the control center for the test. The +automatic firing device was triggered from there as key men such as +Dr. Robert Oppenheimer, head of Los Alamos, watched. None of the +manned bunkers are left. + +Many scientists and support personnel, including Gen. Leslie Groves, +head of the Manhattan Project, watched the explosion from base camp +which was ten miles southwest of ground zero. All the buildings at +base camp were removed after the test. Most visiting VIPs watched +from Compania Hill, 20 miles northwest of ground zero. + +The test was scheduled for 4 a.m. July 16, but rain and lightning +early that morning caused it to be postponed. The device could not be +exploded under rainy conditions because rain and winds would increase +the danger from radioactive fallout and interfere with observation of +the test. At 4:45 a.m. the crucial weather report came through +announcing calm to light winds with broken clouds for the following +two hours. + +At 5:10 the countdown started and at 5:29:45 the device exploded +successfully. To most observers the brilliance of the light from the +explosion--watched through dark glasses--overshadowed the shock wave +and sound that arrived later. + +Hans Bethe, one of the contributing scientists, wrote "it looked like +a giant magnesium flare which kept on for what seemed a whole minute +but was actually one or two seconds. The white ball grew and after a +few seconds became clouded with dust whipped up by the explosion from +the ground and rose and left behind a black trail of dust particles." + +Joe McKibben, another scientist, said, "We had a lot of flood lights +on for taking movies of the control panel. When the bomb went off, +the lights were drowned out by the big light coming in through the +open door in the back." + +Others were impressed by the heat they immediately felt. Military +policeman Davis said, "The heat was like opening up an oven door, even +at 10 miles." Dr. Phillip Morrison said, "Suddenly, not only was +there a bright light but where we were, 10 miles away, there was the +heat of the sun on our faces....Then, only minutes later, the real sun +rose and again you felt the same heat to the face from the sunrise. +So we saw two sunrises." + + + +After the explosion + + +Although no information on the test was released until after the +atomic bomb was used as a weapon against Japan, people in New Mexico +knew something had happened. The shock broke windows 120 miles away +and was felt by many at least 160 miles away. Army officials simply +stated that a munitions storage area had accidentally exploded at the +Alamogordo Bombing Range. + +The explosion did not make much of a crater. Most eyewitnesses +describe the area as more of a small depression instead of a crater. +The heat of the blast did melt the desert sand and turn it into a +green glassy substance. It was called Trinitite and can still be seen +in the area. At one time Trinitite completely covered the depression +made by the explosion. Afterwards the depression was filled and much +of the Trinitite was taken away by the Nuclear Energy Commission. + +To the west of the monument is a low structure which is protecting an +original portion of the crater area. Trinitite is visible through +openings in the roof. + + + +It's the Schmidt house + + +The George McDonald ranch house sits within an 85'x85' low stone wall. +The house was built in 1913 by Franz Schmidt, a German immigrant, and +an addition was constructed on the north side in the 1930's by the +McDonalds. There is a display about the Schmidt family in the house +during each open house. + +The ranch house is a one-story, 1,750 square-foot building. It is +built of adobe which was plastered and painted. An ice house is +located on the west side along with an underground cistern which +stored rain water running off the roof. At one time the north +addition contained a toilet and bathtub which drained into a septic +tank northwest of the house. + +There is a large, divided water storage tank and a Chicago Aeromotor +windmill east of the house. The scientists and support people used +the north tank as a swimming pool during the long hot summer of 1945. +South of the windmill are the remains of a bunkhouse and a barn which +was part garage. Further to the east are corrals and holding pens. +The buildings and fixtures east of the house have been stabilized to +prevent further deterioration. + +The ranch was abandoned in 1942 when the Alamogordo Bombing and +Gunnery Range took over the land to use in training World War II +bombing crews. The house stood empty until the Manhattan Project +support personnel arrived in early 1945. + +Inside the house the northeast room (the master bedroom) was +designated the assembly room. Work benches and tables were installed. +To keep dust and sand out of instruments and tools, the windows were +covered with plastic. Tape was used to fasten the edges of the +plastic and to seal doors and cracks in the walls. + +The explosion, only two miles away, did not significantly damage the +house. Most of the windows were blown out, but the main structure was +intact. Years of rain water dripping through holes in the roof did +much more damage. The barn did not do as well. During the Trinity +test the roof was bowed inward and some of the roofing was blown away. +The roof has since collapsed. + +The house stood empty and deteriorating until 1982 when the U.S. Army +stabilized the house to prevent any further damage. Shortly after, +the Department of Energy and U.S. Army provided the funds for the +National Park Service to completely restore the house. The work was +done in 1984. All efforts were directed at making the house appear as +it did on July 12, 1945. + + + +Afterwards + + +The story of what happened at Trinity Site did not come to light until +after the second atomic bomb was exploded over Hiroshima, Japan, on +August 6. President Truman made the announcement that day. Three +days later, August 9, the third atomic bomb devastated the city of +Nagasaki, and on August 14 the Japanese surrendered. + +Trinity Site became part of what was then White Sands Proving Ground. +The proving ground was established on July 9, 1945, as a test facility +to investigate the new rocket technology emerging from World War II. +The land, including Trinity Site and the old Alamogordo Bombing Range, +came under the control of the new rocket and missile testing facility. + +Interest in Trinity Site was immediate. In September 1945 press tours +to the site started. One of the famous photos of ground zero shows +Robert Oppenheimer and General Leslie Groves surrounded by a small +group of reporters as they examine one of the footings to the 100 foot +tower on which the bomb was placed. That picture was taken Sept. 11. +The exposed footing is still visible at ground zero. On Sept. 15-17, +George Cremeens, a young radio reporter from KRNT in Des Moines, +visited the site with soundman Frank Lagouri. They flew over the +crater and interviewed Dr. Kenneth Bainbridge, Trinity test director, +and Capt. Howard Bush, base camp commander. + +Back in Iowa, Cremeens created four 15-minute reports on his visit +which aired Sept. 24, 26, 27 and 29. A 15-minute composite was made +and aired on the ABC Radio Network. For his work Cremeens received a +local Peabody Award for "Outstanding Reporting and Interpretation of +the News." + +At first Trinity Site was encircled with a fence and radiation warning +signs were posted. The site remained off-limits to military and +civilian personnel of the proving ground and closed to the public. + +In 1952 the Atomic Energy Commission let a contract to clean up the +site. Much of the Trinitite was scraped up and buried. In September +1953 about 650 people attended the first Trinity Site open house. A +few years later a small group from Tularosa visited the site on an +anniversary of the explosion to conduct a religious service and +prayers for peace. Similar visits have been made annually in recent +years on the first Saturday in October. + +In 1967 the inner oblong fence was added. In 1972 the corridor barbed +wire fence which connects the outer fence to the inner one was +completed. Jumbo was moved to the parking lot in 1979. + +Visits to the site are now made in April and October because it is +generally so hot in July on the Jornada del Muerto. + + + +White Sands Missile Range + + +White Sands Missile Range has developed from a simple desert testing +site for the V-2 into one of the most sophisticated test facilities in +the world. The mission of White Sands Missile Range begins with a +customer--a service developer, or another federal agency, which is +ready to find out if engineers and scientists have built something +which will perform according to job specifications. It ends when an +exhaustive series of tests has been completed and a data report has +been delivered to the customer. + +Between the beginning and the end of the test program, be it the Army +Tactical Missile System or newly designed automobiles, range employees +are involved in every operation connected with the customer and his +product. The range can and does provide everything from rat traps to +telephones, from equipment hoists and flight safety to microsecond +timing. + +We shake, rattle and roll the product, roast it, freeze it, subject it +to nuclear radiation, dip it in salt water and roll it in the mud. We +test its paint, bend its frame and find out what effect its propulsion +material has on flora and fauna. + +In the end, if it's a missile, we fire it, record its performance and +bring back the pieces for post mortem examination. All test data is +reduced and the customer receives a full report. + +For more information on Trinity Site or White Sands Missile Range +contact: + + Public Affairs Office (STEWS-PA) + White Sands Missile Range + White Sands Missile Range, N.M. 88002-5047 + + + +Reading List + + +The Day the Sun Rose Twice, by Ferenc Szasz, University of New Mexico +Press, 1984. + +Manhattan: The Army and the Atomic Bomb, by Vincent Jones, Center of +Military History, U. S. Army. + +Trinity, by Kenneth Bainbridge, Los Alamos publication (LA-6300-H). + +The Making of the Atomic Bomb, by Richard Rhodes, Simon and Schuster, +1986. + +Now It Can Be Told, by General Leslie Groves, Da Capo Press, 1975. + +Day One, By Peter Wyden, Simon and Schuster, 1984. + +City of Fire: Los Alamos and the Atomic Age, 1943-1945, by James +Kunetka, University of New Mexico Press, 1978. + +Los Alamos 1943-1945: The Beginning of an Era, Los Alamos Publication +(LASL-79-78). + +Day of Trinity, by Lansing Lamont, Atheneum. + +Radiological Survey and Evaluation of the Fallout Area from the +Trinity Test: Chupadera Mesa and White Sands Missile Range, N. M., Los +Alamos publication (LA-10256-MS). + +Life Magazine, August 20 and September 24, 1945. + +Time Magazine, August 13 and 20, 1945. + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of Trinity [Atomic Test] Site + + + + diff --git a/old/2trnt10.zip b/old/2trnt10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b2b65c5 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/2trnt10.zip |