Vela Uniform was an element of Project Vela conducted jointly by the United States Department of Energy and the Advanced Research Projects Agency. Its purpose was to develop seismic methods for detecting underground nuclear testing, and it involved many experts from academia, the sponsoring military agencies and the Atomic Energy Commission.
Vela Uniform incorporated seven underground nuclear tests in the continental United States and Alaska from October 1963 to July 1971. Seismic traces from multiple locations were analyzed for each of these events to develop methods for differentiating underground nuclear tests from other seismic events (such as earthquakes) and locating the test site. The program also involved numerous experiments using conventional high explosives.
Vela Uniform tests
edit| Test name | Date | Location | Yield | Test series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoal | 1963-10-26 | Sand Springs Range 39°12′00″N 118°22′52″W / 39.20012°N 118.38124°W | 12 kt | Niblick |
| Salmon | 1964-10-22 | Salmon Site 31°08′32″N 89°34′12″W / 31.14229°N 89.57001°W | 5.3 kt | Whetstone |
| Long Shot | 1965-10-29 | Amchitka Island, Alaska 51°26′14″N 179°10′49″E / 51.43709°N 179.18032°E | 80 kt | Flintlock |
| Sterling | 1966-12-03 | Salmon Site 31°08′32″N 89°34′12″W / 31.14229°N 89.57001°W | 380 t | Latchkey |
| Scroll | 1968-04-23 | Nevada Test Site 37°20′16″N 116°22′35″W / 37.33767°N 116.37647°W | < 20 kt | Crosstie |
| Diamond Dust | 1970-05-12 | Nevada Test Site 37°00′37″N 116°12′10″W / 37.0104°N 116.20277°W | < 20 kt | Mandrel |
| Diamond Mine | 1971-07-01 | Nevada Test Site 37°00′41″N 116°12′15″W / 37.01148°N 116.20427°W | < 20 kt | Grommet |
Reference sources
edit- "United States Nuclear Tests, July 1945 to 31 December 1992" (NWD 94–1), Robert Standish Norris and Thomas B. Cochran, Nuclear Weapons Databook, Working Papers, Natural Resources Defense Council, 1350 New York Avenue, N.W., Suite 300, Washington, DC 20005, 202-783-7800, 1 February 1994.
- "Nuclear Explosions and Earthquakes: The Parted Veil," Bruce A. Bolt, W. H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco, 1976, ISBN 0-7167-0276-2.