CRATER MEASUREMENTS

Abstract
Vertical shafts of colored sand were placed along one diameter through ground zero on Shot 7 to give a permanent record of the true crater. Measurement of the physical chzracteristics of the apparent crater and lip, and the true crater were made. The nuclear data obtained from Operation JANGLE surface and underground shots and TEAPOT Shot 7 were correlated with previous high explosive (HE) test results. Scaled curves of dimensions versus depth of burial with correlation between HE and nuclear bursts were developed for the Nevada Test Site soil as well as for several other soil types for which reliable HE data are available. Particular attention was given to the definition of the terms apparent and true craters, in light of their meaning being based on the movement of the soil, as depicted by the colored sand columns. A brief examination is made of the effects of energy density on the TNT equivalence of underground nuclear bursts. The charge emplacement configuration can play a significant role in determining the TNT equivalence of a particular burst.

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