experiment experiment series tests manhattan_project designed study behavior shock waves achieve spherical necessary compression pit nuclear weapon experiment significant amounts short lived potent source gamma radiation method proposed developed team led italian experimental physicist tests performed inch spheres radioactive equal later located center simulated nuclear device explosive lenses designed primarily series tests tests conducted september march history project wrote important single experiment affecting final bomb design experimental setup experiment suggested november idea measure spatial temporal symmetry explosive compression metal sphere test measured changes absorption gamma rays metal sphere underwent compression gamma ray source located center metal sphere increase thickness hollow shells density solid spheres compression progressed detected decrease intensity gamma rays outside sphere lower density explosives absorb gamma radiation interfere experiment gamma rays intense right energy low energy fully absorbed surrounding metal high energy difference low practical provide high speed large area fast chambers development devices available satisfying requirements chosen having right emitted gamma ray energy fraction sufficient radiation intensity provide satisfying signal chambers combined rapid radioactive decay stable reducing radiation hazard operators period half lives potentially available larger quantities parent abundant product consequence samples contained small amounts especially presents radioactive contamination problem area tests specific activity source equals sample precipitated tip small cone followed plug lowered center metal sphere experimental assembly device resembling fishing rod cone plug metal center assembly forming metal sphere section explosive returned place sphere typically chambers located experimental setup immediately generated signals displayed blast proof shelter mobile laboratory tank feet away traces recorded cameras measurement performed test chambers destroyed explosion simple design allowed production sufficient quantities chambers cylindrical inches diameter inches long wire longitudinal axis filled mixture carbon dioxide standard kpa chambers arranged connected parallel located experimental assembly recording gamma radiation sphere sufficiently close signal sufficiently far away destroyed blast record required information initiation explosives initially performed system results erratic weren sufficiently synchronized better results obtained february exploding developed group available available substituted material similar mechanical properties depleted optimal radiation iron copper choices choice tests shot performed iron pit resulting signal fast dip corresponding compression sphere followed slower increase corresponding following dispersal sphere differences traces display indicating average compression direction allowed assessment required accuracy sources radioactive lowered test apparatus feet long rod tests initially observed sealed tank mobile laboratory consisted tanks experiment supposed area square meters half year removed short term contamination levels turned insignificant tanks replaced fixed shelters tanks later lead sealed equipped self contained air supply sampling products post blast debris trinity test sources posed considerable radiation exposure risk exposure rate source meter foot sources activities tests radiation safety system remote handling samples flaws took months discover operated products reaching frequently exposed accidentally high radiation group handling experiments risk operated close coordination charge ensuring radiation exposure people involved radioactive contamination posed problem people working change clothes showers work trip security gates experiments performed location designated technical area commonly referred close border northeast site fixed structures isolated building firing sites instruments firing explosives recording data housed control buildings large amounts radioactive dispersed explosions tests performed workers received radiation burns experiments generally performed wind blew north occasionally wind change direction early morning nuclear fallout tests blown parts housing area road radiation levels road occasionally reached road closed test released dispersed radioactive tests documented released tracked aircraft case radiation detected town miles tests concurrent tests aim development airborne tracking air burst nuclear tests size altitude radioactive cloud determined quantity explosive tests fallout monitoring rare closer monitoring phased comprehensive cloud reportedly tracked far miles new_mexico logistics schedule handle logistics tests appointed director laboratory head program group designated swiss physicist built chambers electronics late spring work proceeded pace backup project believed bomb thin man gun type nuclear weapon design turned case tests produced early summer showed high spontaneous rates presence use gun assembly july design abandoned effort focused meet challenge reorganized formed group assigned group july preliminary test fired rehearsal test equipment measurement collapse times shock wave program delayed month late shipments test scheduled august conducted mid september test fired september late august request group group reformed leadership group took exploding research suggestion solid spheres instead originally intended hollow ones chosen pit order reduce problems jets solid sphere shot performed early december results inconclusive shot december showed words definite evidence compression tests electric solid pits performed february based initiation employed electric showed significant improvement achieved compression degree symmetry tests based results end february design bomb known settled test methods necessary experiments provided indirect indications formation problematic jets plagued early designs important preparation preparation half life hours undergoes beta decay stable prepared common product isolated spent fuel later site producing nuclear isolated purpose built hot laboratory shipped lead pig extract laboratory laboratory remote work radioactive materials delivery performed truck person crew driving miles nonstop days left cool days dissolved extracted solution solid material shipped production runs involved production site processed site afterward material processed isolation performed building existing laboratory converted purpose months run finished september designed work sources conditions forced adapted work sources capacity insufficient demand grew dedicated building adjacent designed process sources completed run day run facility march shipments averaging produced demand continued grow july production goal shipment early 1950s requirements went shipments went year decided build new facility production october completed run total processed shipped preparation volatile products released dissolved batch produced high amounts fuel processed fresh small precautions limiting product releases production major contributor radioactive contamination emissions important factor decision facility idaho later improvements allowed reduction emissions levels times lower accident release occurred facility april dissolution batch liquid tank completely cover hours decay heat acid added fourth batch violent reaction hot metal produced gases forced solution loading pipes building staff donned gas masks evacuated building radiation levels floor building reached hour reduced day highest exposure person hard radiation equivalent physical soft radiation preparation delivery material stored dedicated building mixture led unpleasant radioactive contamination took long time disappear half life days shortly process improved removed double precipitation solution process improved allow repeated separation solution built initially process precipitated later abandoned method developed precipitated converted addition trace method performed quickly susceptible tendency solution process performed remotely operated devices contained highest radiation levels people worked time special tools developed remote handling hot materials lead bricks sources radiation dose limit personnel set source preparation limit exceeded received dose improved process separated solution advantage repeatedly increasing yield allowing experiments problems radioactive contamination half life days eliminated significantly reduced use allowed usage smaller material tests equipment nicknamed cow built sufficiently distant area avoided time consuming construction heavily shielded building early process hit iron metals probably introduced shipping container found precipitation forming filters problem solved better shipping containers similar process preparation nuclear medicine cow generators separation process performed dedicated facility building designated separated shipped test site lead truck separation work moved tests performed month long series source decayed periodically post war progress technology improved chambers replaced gallons liquid flashes gallons imp gal burning remarkably brilliant early morning times tests usually performed tests continued replaced advanced methods currently methods testing long term contamination short half life hours threat fairly short time present long half life present potential problem decades tests issued warning county performing trees area remove trees cut parts possible content radioactive materials worst affected zones levels present soil insects trees surrounding areas neighbouring population informed tests mid-1990s refused documentation
RaLa Experiment