I've always thought the the "Wild Wild West" was something that occurred during the 1800's. The pictures below make me think........ maybe the 1950's were even wilder.
Head to Vegas, have some drinks, play the slots or some blackjack, then stroll outside and watch a nuclear test. Mind boggling. The image above was obviously doctored up , here's the unmodified photo.
These tests occurred on a regular basis. Here's another. This is shot "Priscilla" (of the Plumbbob test series) set off on June 24, 1957.
Doesn't look like much from 65-75 miles away after it's dissipated a bit. (Though even at that distance the shock from these blasts would sometimes shatter windows in Downtown Vegas) Here's a closer look at Priscilla.
A bit more ominous from this distance. Amazingly somewhere in the neighborhood of 1700 US troops, most involved in the "troop observer indoctrination program" witnessed this blast from trenches at close range, the closest being only 3500 meters from ground zero. After the blast the troops were taken to within 500 meters of ground zero to observe the effects of the blast on military equipment, materials, structures, and ordnance.
Even more ominous than the above photo is this map.
This shows areas of the continental United States crossed by more than one nuclear cloud during the atmospheric atomic tests. As you can clearly see, it wasn't just the folks in Nevada, Arizona, and Utah that were the downwinders. We all were.
9 comments:
Great post! That shot of Priscilla is one of my favorites. Do you know if there is a name for that ring of heat, or whatever it is, that forms and rises around the top of the mushroom? That part of the cloud has always fascinated me.
A few years before my dad died he worked out at Yucca Mountain waste area as a QA director (but he worked at almost all the nulcear waste sites). Nevadans have changed their thoughts considerable about nulcear anything nowadays. It cracks me up to think of bleary-eyed hung-over vacationers wandering out into the streets to watch the clouds. :o)
Seems it would have been best to live on the West coast during the fallout years. Was it in the book in your first post that it is said that the fallout of one of the iodine-based tests rose over the US and plopped down onto Troy NY, causing a rash of thyroid cancer and problems? I forget where I learned that.
BTW, have you ever seen The Atomic Cafe film? Great stuff. Lots of other good DVDs on atomic tests available now too.
P.S. And not to forget, "The Beast Of Yukka Flats", with Tor Johnson. :o)
Capcom.... listen to yourself... having a "favorite" shot of an atomic blast! Not that I'm making fun of you because I'm not. I have favorites too as I find the whole atomic testing thing fascinating. (Though I've always written my interest off as being a "guy" thing, you know, guns, fireworks, etc.)
It must be a result of the stark reality and media coverage of this stuff while we were growing up. Definitely had an affect on me.
Can't answer your question about the ring nor the fallout. I was on a huge kick about 14 years ago collecting video and books on the subject. I haven't really looked at it in years. I'm sure there's some scientific explanation for the phenomenon.
All in all this remains fascinating to me. Of course, I hope we never witness this stuff in anything other than "test" conditons.
Yeah I know, it's weird. I just can't help being in awe of all that raw science and I think it's beautiful in a scary way. But we were brought up surrounded by science in those days, Howdy Doody and Captain Kangaroo probably even talked about science and astronauts. And we were told we were going to live on the moon! Still waiting for that one to happen. :-(
One of my work buddies who shared my interest in all this found a website that sells pieces of the glass from the test sites. It's supposed to be harmless. He got one. I lost the website address though before I ordered mine.
Trinitite is what you're looking for. Google it, you'll find sites that sell it.
Yeah.... the moon. We made it there .... in 1969!! Unimaginable. So awesome !! Yet, beyond a few return trips, almost 40 years later and we never ventured further with manned missions. Felt almost like a broken promise to me.
Here's something interesting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Conqueror
Check the "cancer controversy" section.
One more note about the wiki link I sent. In it it states "Skeptics point to...... the notion that cancer resulting from exposure to radiation does not have such a long incubation period.."
Remember the NAAV? I personally know a gentleman who was very active in the organization, and was an atomic vet himself, having been present at the Operation Crossroads tests in the Pacific. He told me that 33 years after being present at the tests he developed colon cancer. He also mentioned that there were scores of Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors who developed colon cancer..... 33 years after their exposure.
Fascinating Wiki entry, I remember all that now. The whole NAAV thing is sad too. Interesting about 33 years....
It's so difficult now to be able to pinpoint causes by this, because in the arguement against it one oculd say that it's impossible to say which of a million things that we've done to our living environment to remove it from a natural caveman state, so to speak, is the actual cause. But it's so shameful when people running a govt can't even admit mistakes and give a little compensation to people who have suffered due to those mistakes. They only look for loopholes to relieve culpability. :-( This is giving me some ideas for my Fringe blog.
Oh yeah, trinitite, how could I forget that name?!
And the "Nice Try" Award goes to....
http://www.sandia.gov/recordsmgmt/exhibits/PlowshareProgram.pdf
Just came across this site today.
P.S.S. Found a book on it too:
http://www.amazon.com/Proving-Grounds-Plowshare-Unrealized-Earthmoving/dp/0813536669
Post a Comment