DETECTION OF AIRBORNE LOW-FREQUENCY SOUND FROM NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS

Abstract

Measurements of the airborne low-frequency sound from the Operation CASTLE nuclear explosions were made at 15 remote locations, covering a variety of distances and directions from the Pacific Proving Grounds, with the objective of studying the relation between signal characteristics and the energy released over the range of yields from 1 to 15 megatons equivalent. Both standard and very low-frequency sound recording equipment responsive to small atmospheric pressure variations in the frequency range from 1.0 to 0.002 cycles/second were employed. Signals were detected at ranges exceeding 45,000 km for explosions larger than 5 MT, 30,000 km for the 1.7 MT shot, and 10,000 km for the 0.13 MT shot. All megaton shots produced the initial dispersive wave train of very low- frequency previously noted for IVY MIKE. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1955
Accession Number
AD0361833

Entities

People

  • G. B. Olmsted

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Acoustic Signals
  • Acoustic Waves
  • Air Force
  • Detection
  • Electronics Laboratories
  • Explosions
  • Frequency
  • Frequency Response
  • Measurement
  • Nuclear Explosions
  • Phase Velocity
  • Recording Systems
  • Thermal Insulation
  • United States
  • Very Low Frequency
  • Waves

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Acoustics.
  • Radar Systems Engineering.
  • Solar Physics