Home > Nuclear Weapons > Nevada Test Site Map > Area 9
|
|
|
Area 9 — This area, within the Nuclear Test Zone, occupies 52 km2 (20 mi2 ) in the northeast quadrant of the Yucca Flat weapons test basin.
Seventeen atmospheric tests were conducted in this area between 1951 and 1958.
Hood
was the largest atmospheric test ever conducted at NTS (and in continental U.S.).
This was a test of a two-stage thermonuclear device designed by UCRL (University
of California Radiation Laboratory), even though the U.S. government stated
at the time that no thermonuclear tests were being conducted in Nevada. The
design was intended to fill a gap in 300-400 lb. thermonuclear warhead technology,
and was tested at reduced yield. The predicted yield was 60-80 kt. The device
used a boosted Swan primary (which gave yields of 12-19 kt in other tests during
Plumbbob). About 7 kt of the overall yield was from fusion. The device was a
small diameter system (12.1 inches) and was 42.2 inches long. Total device weight
was 393 lb. The test also included troop maneuvers by 2500 Marines, and air
operations by 124 aircraft.
Area 9 has been used extensively for underground nuclear testing; 100 such tests were carried out from late 1961 to mid-1992. Of the dozen underground tests involving the simultaneous detonation of multiple devices, most involved the use of separate emplacement holes (two or more holes, each with a single device).
The Area 9 sanitary landfill is located in a subsidence crater formed as a result of a subsurface nuclear detonation in the early 1960s. This Class II landfill is allowed to receive all types of nonhazardous waste.
In October 1995, the landfill underwent partial closure and will reopen as a Class III construction and demolition debris landfill.
Total number of Nuclear Tests 115 and Detonations 133 as having occured in Area 9, according to United States Nuclear Tests July 1945 through September 1992 DOE/NV--209-REV 15 December 2000 which may view here, but the document only lists the following tests as having occured in Area 9, other are tests are listed by hole or shaft number and am still working on updating this list.
| Test Number | Name | Date | Sponser | Remarks | Photo |
| 21 | Sugar | 11/19/1951 | LANL/DoD | Operation Jangle | |
| 52 | Tesla | 03/01/1955 | LLNL | Operation Teapot |
 |
| 60 | Post | 04/09/1955 | LLNL | Operation Teapot | |
| 89 |
Lassen | 06/05/1957 | LLNL | Operation
Plumbbob Radioactivity not detected offsite |
|
| 90 | Wilson | 06/18/1957 | LLNL | Operation Plumbbob | |
| 93 |
Hood
 |
07/05/1957 | LLNL | Operation
Plumbbob Highest yield Nevada Test Site atmospheric test |
|
| 97 | Owens | 07/25/1957 | LLNL | Operation Plumbbob | |
| 107 | Wheeler | 09/06/1957 | LLNL | Operation Plumbbob | |
| 114 | Charleston | 09/28/1957 | LLNL | Operation Plumbbob | |
| 115 | Morgan | 10/07/1957 | LLNL | Operation Plumbbob | |
| 180 | Rushmore | 10/22/1958 | LLNL | Operation Hardtack II | |
| 190
|
Mazama | 10/29/1958 | LLNL | Operation
Hardtack II No radioactive release detected |