Analysis of Artillery Winter Test Firing into Eagle River Flats, Fort Richardon, Alaska.
Abstract
Winter tests of artillery firing were conducted in the Eagle River Flats impact range to determine the physical effects of exploding high-explosive (HE) projectiles on the ice-covered terrain. Eagle River Flats is an estuary at the mouth of the Eagle River used as the artillery impact range for Ft. Richardson. The Army suspended use of the impact range following the discovery that white phosphorus (WP) deposited in the salt marsh was responsible for large numbers of waterfowl deaths each summer. The purpose of these tests was to assess if seasonal firing of HE projectiles from 60- and 81-mm mortars and 1O5-mm howitzers into Eagle River Flats could be resumed without significantly disturbing the sediments contaminated with WP. The results of the test firings indicated that a minimum of 25 cm of ice over frozen sediment or a minimum of 30 cm of floating ice over shallow water was required to prevent disturbance of the WP-contaminated sediment by exploding 105-mm howitzer projectiles. Only 10 cm of ice was required to prevent disturbance by exploding 60-and 81 -mm mortar projectiles.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA298512
Entities
People
- Charles M. Collins
- Darryl J. Calkins
Organizations
- Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory