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Trinity Site July 16, 1945 Trinity Site July 16, 1945 "The effects could well be called unprecedented, magnificent, beauti­ ful, stupendous, and terrifying. No man-made phenomenon of such tremendous power had ever occurred before. The lighting effects beggared description. The whole country was lighted by a searing light with the intensity many times that of the midday sun." Brig. Gen. Thomas Farrell A national historic landmark on White Sands Missile Range -- www.wsmr.army.mil Radiation Basics Radiation comes from the nucJeus of the gamma ray. This is a type of electromag­ individual atoms. Simple atoms like oxygen netic radiation like visible light, radio waves are very stable. Its nucleus has eight protons and X-rays. They travel at the speed of light. and eight neutrons and holds together well. It takes at least an inch of lead or eight The nucJeus of a complex atom like inches of concrete to stop them. uranium is not as stable. Uranium has 92 Finally, neutrons are also emitted by protons and 146 neutrons in its core. These some radioactive substances. Neutrons are unstable atoms tend to break down into very penetrating but are not as common in more stable, simpler forms. When this nature. Neutrons have the capability of happens the atom emits subatomic particles striking the nucleus of another atom and and gamma rays. This is where the word changing a stable atom into an unstable, and "radiation" comes from -- the atom radiates therefore, radioactive one. Neutrons emitted particles and rays. in nuc!ear reactors are contained in the Health physicists are concerned with reactor vessel or shielding and cause the four emissions from the nucleus of these vessel walls to become radioactive. atoms. One of these radiations is the alpha Radioactive elements emit these radia­ particle which is relatively large and travels tions until they have reached a stable state. fairly slowly compared to other atomic For some man-made radioactive materials particles. Alpha particles are composed of this occurs in a few seconds. For other two protons and two neutrons. They travel elements a small amount can emit radiation about one to three inches in the air and are for thousands of years. As they break down easily stopped by a sheet of paper. they turn into other elements. Another radiation is the beta particle, At ground zero, the elements emitting basically a very light electron that moves at gamma rays and alpha and beta particles are less than the speed of light. These particles Europium, Cesium, Cobalt, Strontium and are more energetic than alpha particles, but Plutonium. can be stopped by a thin sheet of metal or Sources for information about radiation heavy clothing. are the American Nuclear Society and the The third form of nuclear radiation is U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Radiation at Trinity Site Radiation levels in the fenced, ground concrete house adds seven millirems of zero area are very low. The maximum levels exposure every year compared to living in a are only 10 times greater than the region's frame house. Finally, flying coast to coast natural background radiation. Many places by jet gives an exposure of about two on Earth are naturally more radioactive than millirems. Trinity Site. One source of radiation exposure not A one-hour visit to the inner fenced considered in old calculations is from radon area will result in a whole body exposure of gas. Scientists now estimate that Americans one-half to one millirem. The levels vary average 200 millirems of exposure per year from place to place, depending on the from radon. concentration of Trinitite buried at any one Trinitite, the green glassy substance spot. found in the ground zero area, contains To put this in perspective, Americans several radioactive elements and is an alpha receive an average of 620 millirems every and beta particle emitter. year from natural and medical sources. For Although radiation levels at ground instance, the American Nuclear Society zero are low, some feel any extra exposure estimates we receive between 26 and 96 should be avoided. The decision is yours. millirems every year from the sun, depend­ Typical radiation exposures per year ing on what elevation we live. We receive for U.S. citizens according to the American about 40 millirems every year from our Nuclear Society are listed in the chart food. Living in a brick, stone, adobe or below. * One hour at Trinity Site ground zero = one half mrem * Cosmic rays from space = 47 mrem at Denver, 28 mrem at St. Louis * Radioactive minerals in rocks and soil = 63 mrems on Colorado Plateau * Radioactivity from air, water and food =about 240 mrem * A chest X-ray =six mrem and a CAT Scan =110 mrem * Watching television = less than one mrem per year * Wearing a plutonium-powered pacemaker = 100 mrem * Coast to coast commercial flight = two mrem Trinity Site National Historic Landmark Trinity Site is where the first atomic tromagnetic process plants were built to bomb was tested at 5:29:45 a.m. Mountain separate uranium 235 from its more com­ War Time on July 16, 1945. The 19-kiloton mon form, uranium 238. Hanford, Wash. explosion not only led to a quick end to the became the home for nuclear reactors which war in the Pacific but also ushered the world produced a new element called plutonium. into the atomic age. All life on Earth has Both uranium 235 and plutonium are fis­ been touched by the event, which took place sionable and can be used to produce an here. atomic explosion. The 51,500-acre area was declared a Los Alamos was established in north­ national historic landmark in 197 5. The ern New Mexico to design and build the landmark includes base camp, where the bomb. At Los Alamos many of the greatest scientists and support group lived; ground scientific minds of the day labored over the zero, where the bomb was placed for the theory and actual construction of the device. explosion; and the Schmidt/McDonald The group was led by Dr. J. Robert ranch house, where the plutonium core to Oppenheimer who is credited with being the the bomb was assembled. Visitors to a driving force behind building a workable Trinity Site Open House see ground zero bomb by the end of the war. and the ranch house. In addition, one of the old instrumentation bunkers is visible beside the road just west of ground zero. ( ___Th_e_t_he_or_y __) Los Alamos scientists devised two G-he Manhattan Projec!) designs for an atomic bomb--one using uranium 235 and another using plutonium. The story of Trinity Site begins with The uranium bomb was a simple design and the formation of the Manhattan Project in scientists were confident it would work June 1942. The project was given overall without testing. The plutonium bomb was responsibility for designing and building an more complex and worked by compressing atomic bomb. At the time it was a race to the plutonium into a critical mass to sustain beat the Germans who, according to intelli­ a chain reaction. The compression of the gence reports, were building their own plutonium ball was to be accomplished by atomic bomb. surrounding it with lense-shaped charges of Under the Manhattan Project three conventional explosives. They were de­ large facilities were constructed. At Oak signed to all explode at the same instant. Ridge, Tenn., huge gas diffusion and elec- The force would be directed inward, thus smashing the plutonium from all sides. chosen as the test site. The area already was In an atomic explosion, a chain reac­ controlled by the government because it was tion picks up speed as atoms split, releasing part of the Alamogordo Bombing and neutrons plus great amounts of energy. The Gunnery Range which was established in escaping neutrons strike and split more 1942. The secluded Jornada del Muerto was atoms, thus releasing still more neutrons and perfect as it provided isolation for secrecy energy. In a nuclear explosion this all and safety, but was still close to Los Alamos occurs in a millionth of a second with for easy commuting back and forth. billions of atoms being split. Project leaders decided a test of the (Building the test site) plutonium bomb was essential before it could be used as a weapon of war. From a In the fa ll of 1944 soldiers started list of eight sites in California, Texas, New arriving at Trinity Site to prepare for the Mexico and Colorado, Trinity Site was test. Marvin Davis and his military police Sgt. Marvin Davis with police horses Argo and Peergo at basecamp. unit arrived from Los Alamos at the site on pronghorn. The meat was then cooked in Dec. 30, 1944. The unit set up security the mess hall. Leftovers went into soups checkpoints around the area and had plans which Davis said were excellent. to use horses to ride patrol. According to Of course, some of the soldiers were Davis the distances were too great so they from cities and unfamiliar with being out­ resorted to jeeps and trucks for transporta­ doors a lot. Davis said he went to relieve a tion. The horses were sometimes used for guard at the Mockingbird Gap post and the polo, however Davis said Capt. Howard soldier told Davis he was surprised by the Bush, base camp commander, somehow got number of "crawdads" in the area consider­ the men real polo equipment to play with ing it was so dry. Davis gave the young but they preferred brooms and a soccer ball. man a quick lesson on scorpions and warned Other recreation at the site included him not to touch.
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