Missouri S&T GEO ENG 342 - The Containment of Underground Nuclear Explosions

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Front MatterTable of ContentsChapters1: Executive Summary2: The Nuclear Testing Program3: Containing Underground Nuclear Explosions4: Monitoring Accidental Radiation ReleasesThe Containment of Underground NuclearExplosionsOctober 1989NTIS order #PB90-156183Recommended Citation:U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, The Containment of Underground NuclearExplosions, OTA-ISC-414 (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, October1989),Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 89-600707For sale by the Superintendent of DocumentsU.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325(order form can be found in the back of this report)ForewordWithin weeks after the ending of World War II, plans for the first nuclear test series“Operation Crossroads”were underway. The purpose then, as now, was to develop newweapon systems and to study the effects of nuclear explosions on military equipment. Thedevelopment of the nuclear testing program has been paralleled by public opposition from bothan arms control and an environmental perspective. Much of the criticism is due to the symbolicnature of testing nuclear weapons and from the radiation hazards associated with the earlypractice of testing in the atmosphere. Recently, however, specific concerns have also beenraised about the current underground testing program; namely:. Are testing practices safe?. Could an accidental release of radioactive material escape undetected?● Is the public being fully informed of all the dangers emanating from the nuclear testingprogram?These concerns are fueled in part by the secrecy that surrounds the testing program and bypublicized problems at nuclear weapons production facilities.At the request of the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs and Senator OrrinG. Hatch, OTA undertook an assessment of the containment and monitoring practices of thenuclear testing program. This special report reviews the safety of the nuclear testing programand assesses the technical procedures used to test nuclear weapons and ensure that radioactivematerial produced by test explosions remains contained underground. An overall evaluationconsiders the acceptability of the remaining risk and discusses reasons for the lack of publicconfidence.In the course of this assessment, OTA drew on the experience of many organizations andindividuals. We appreciate the assistance of the U.S. Government agencies and privatecompanies who contributed valuable information, the workshop participants who providedguidance and review, and the many additional reviewers who helped ensure the accuracy andobjectivity of this report.,..IllWorkshop 1: ContainmentMonday, Sept. 26,1988Environmental Research CenterUniversity of Nevada, Las VegasNeville G. Cook, ChairDepartment of Material Science and Mineral EngineeringUniversity of CaliforniaFrederick N. AppSection LeaderContainment GeophysicsLos Alamos National LaboratoryNorman R. BurkhardContainment Program LeaderLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryJim CarothersChairmanContainment Evaluation PanelLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryJack EverndenLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryU.S. Geological SurveyRobert A. FulkersonExecutive DirectorCitizen AlertJack W. HouseContainment Program ManagerLos Alamos National LaboratoryEvan JenkinsU.S. Geological SurveyJoseph LaCombChiefNevada Operations OfficeDefense Nuclear AgencyJames K. MagruderAssistant Manager for Operations and EngineeringNevada Operations OfficeU.S. Department of EnergyPaul OrkildU.S. Geological SurveyEdward W. PetersonContainment Project DirectorS-CUBEDJohn StewartDirectorTest Operations DivisionNevada Operations OfficeU.S. Department of EnergyBilly C. HudsonDeputy Containment Program LeaderLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryivWorkshop 2: MonitoringTuesday, Sept. 27, 1988Environmental Research CenterUniversity of Nevada, Las VegasMelvin W. Carter, ChairNeely Professor EmeritusGeorgia Institute of TechnologyLynn R. AnspaughDivision LeaderEnvironmental Sciences DivisionLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryBruce ChurchAssistant Manager for Environmental Safety andHealthNevada Operations OfficeU.S. Department of EnergyCharles F. CostaDirectorNuclear Radiation Assessment DivisionUnited States Environmental Protection AgencyDonald R. ElleChief, Technical Projects BranchHealth Physics and Environmental DivisionNevada Operations OfficeU.S. Department of EnergyBernd FrankeIFEURobert A. FulkersonExecutive DirectorCitizen AlertMichael A. MarelliChief, Health Protection BranchHealth Physics and Environmental DivisionNevada Operations OfficeU.S. Department of EnergyDarryl RandersonWeather ServiceNuclear OfficeOTA Project Staff-The Containment of Underground Nuclear ExplosionsLionel S. Johns, Assistant Director, OTAEnergy, Materials, and International Security DivisionPeter Sharfman, International Security and Commerce Program Manager*Alan Shaw, International Security and Commerce Program Manager**Gregory E. van der Vink, Project DirectorAdministrative StaffJannie Horne (through November 1988)Marie C. Parker (through April 1989)Jackie RobinsonLouise Staley“Through February 1989.● *From March 1989.viAcknowledgmentsOTA gratefully acknowledges the valuable contributions made by the following:Lynn R. AnspaughLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryFrederick N. AppLos Alamos National LaboratoryNick AquilinaU.S. Department of EnergyCharles ArchambeauCIRES, University of Colorado, BoulderStuart C. BlackU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyCarter BroylesSandia National LaboratoryNorman R. BurkhardLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryJohn H. CampbellU.S. Department of EnergyJim CarothersLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryMelvin W. CarterInternational Radiation Protection ConsultantBruce ChurchU.S. Department of EnergyNeville G. CookUniversity of California, BerkeleyCharles F. CostaU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyJeff DuncanOffice of Congressman Edward J. MarkeyDonald R. ElleU.S. Department of EnergyGerald L. EpsteinJohn F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard UniversityJack EverndenU.S. Geological SurveyAnthony FainbergOffice of Technology Assessment, U.S. CongressPete FitzsimmonsU.S. Department of EnergyJanet FoggU.S. Department of EnergyBernd FrankeIFEURobert A. FulkersonCitizen AlertLarry GabrielDefense Nuclear AgencyDavid GrahamMoore College of ArtJack W. HouseLos Alamos National LaboratoryBilly C. HudsonLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryEvan JenkinsU.S. Geological SurveyGerald W. JohnsonUniversity of


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