BOMBS AT BIKINI 



After all groups had given their views in full, the 

 decision was made. It w^as based principally on the cri- 

 terion of producing serious damage at greatest pos- 

 sible range. While the exact altitude chosen is restricted 

 information, it may be said that the altitude was sev- 

 eral hundred feet. 



For Test B, the underwater explosion, the problem 

 was debated even longer. Many pages would be re- 

 quired to trace the arguments and counter-arguments 

 for setting off the bomb a few feet above the surface, 

 exactly at the surface, a few feet below the surface, or 

 considerably below the surface. 



Some of the most interesting arguments were these : 

 If the bomb were detonated just above the surface of 

 the water, energy transfer to the water would be poor, 

 most of the fission products would go upward in the 

 mushroom, and, in general, the test would differ very 

 little from Test A. Even if the bomb were detonated 

 at the surface or very slightly beneath the surface, 

 no reall}^ impressive underwater pressures would re- 

 sult, and again the test would not be far different from 

 Test A. In fact a detonation very slightly beneath the 

 surface of the w^ater might be especially ineffective; 

 neither the air pressure wave nor the water pressure 

 wave would be maximized, and it is possible that a 

 curtain of spray might be throA\ai up which would 

 actually screen off a large part of the pressure wave 

 in air and nearly all the thermal radiation, gamma 

 radiation, and neutron radiation. 



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