The most complicated issue to be addressed was the production of ample amounts of `enriched' uranium to sustain a chain reaction. At the time, Uranium-235 was very hard to extract. In fact, the ratio of conversion from Uranium ore to Uranium metal is 500:1. An additional drawback is that the 1 part of Uranium that is finally refined from the ore consists of over 99% Uranium-238, which is practically useless for an atomic bomb. To make it even more difficult, U-235 and U-238 are precisely similar in their chemical makeup. This proved to be as much of a challenge as separating a solution of sucrose from a solution of glucose. No ordinary chemical extraction could separate the two isotopes. Only mechanical methods could effectively separate U-235 from U-238. Several scientists at Columbia University managed to solve this dilemma.
A massive enrichment laboratory/plant was constructed at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. H.C. Urey, along with his associates and colleagues at Columbia University, devised a system that worked on the principle of gaseous diffusion. Following this process, Ernest O. Lawrence (inventor of the Cyclotron) at the University of California in Berkeley implemented a process involving magnetic separation of the two isotopes.
Oppenheimer was the major force behind the Manhattan Project. H literally ran the show and saw to it that all of the great minds working o this project made their brainstorms work. He oversaw the entire project from its conception to its completion.
Finally the day came when all at Los Alamos would find out whether or not The Gadget (code-named as such during its development) was either going to be the colossal dud of the century or perhaps end the war. It all came down t a fateful morning of midsummer, 1945.
At 5:29:45 (Mountain War Time) on July 16th, 1945, in a white blaze that stretched from the basin of the Jemez Mountains in northern New Mexico to the still-dark skies, The Gadget ushered in the Atomic Age. The light of the explosion then turned orange as the atomic fireball began shooting upwards at 360 feet per second, reddening and pulsing as it cooled. The characteristi mushroom cloud of radioactive vapor materialized at 30,000 feet. Beneath th cloud, all that remained of the soil at the blast site were fragments of jad green radioactive glass. ...All of this caused by the heat of the reaction.
The brilliant light from the detonation pierced the early morning skies with such intensity that residents from a faraway neighboring community would swear that the sun came up twice that day. Even more astonishing is that a blind girl saw the flash 120 miles away.
Upon witnessing the explosion, reactions among the people who created it were mixed. Isidor Rabi felt that the equilibrium in nature had been upset -- as if humankind had become a threat to the world it inhabited. J. Robert Oppenheimer, though ecstatic about the success of the project, quoted a remembered fragment from Bhagavad Gita. "I am become Death," he said, "the destroyer of worlds." Ken Bainbridge, the test director, told Oppenheimer, "Now we're all sons of bitches."
Several participants, shortly after viewing the results, signed petition against loosing the monster they had created, but their protests fell on deaf ears. As it later turned out, the Jornada del Muerto of New Mexico was not the last site on planet Earth to experience an atomic explosion
As many know, atomic bombs have been used only twice in warfare. The first and foremost blast site of the atomic bomb is Hiroshima A Uranium bomb (which weighed in at over 4 & 1/2 tons) nicknamed "Little Boy" was dropped on Hiroshima August 6th, 1945. The Aioi Bridge, one of 81 bridges connecting the seven-branched delta of the Ota River, was the aiming point of the bomb. Ground Zero was set at 1,980 feet. At 0815 hours, the bomb was dropped from the Enola Gay. It missed by only 800 feet. At 0816 hours, in the flash of an instant, 66,000 people were killed and 69,000 people wer injured by a 10 kiloton atomic explosion.
On August 9th 1945, Nagasaki fell to the same treatment as Hiroshima. Only this time, a Plutonium bomb nicknamed "Fat Man" was dropped on the city. Even though the "Fat Man" missed by over a mile and a half, it still leveled nearly half the city. Nagasaki's population dropped in one split-second from 422,000 to 383,000. 39,000 were killed, over 25,000 were injured. That blast was less than 10 kilotons as well. Estimates from physicists who hav studied each atomic explosion state that the bombs that were used had utilized only 1/10th of 1 percent of their respective explosive capabilities
While the mere explosion from an atomic bomb is deadly enough, it destructive ability doesn't stop there. Atomic fallout creates another hazard as well. The rain that follows any atomic detonation is laden with radioactive particles. Many survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki blasts succumbed to radiation poisoning due to this occurance
The atomic detonation also has the hidden lethal surprise of affectin the future generations of those who live through it. Leukemia is among the greatest of afflictions that are passed on to the offspring of survivors.
While the main purpose behind the atomic bomb is obvious, there are many by-products that have been brought into consideration in the use of al weapons atomic. With one small atomic bomb, a massive area's communications travel and machinery will grind to a dead halt due to the EMP (Electro- Magnetic Pulse) that is radiated from a high-altitude atomic detonation. These high-level detonations are hardly lethal, yet they deliver a serious enough EMP to scramble any and all things electronic ranging from copper wires all the way up to a computer's CPU within a 50 mile radius.
Breakdown of the Atomic Bomb's Blast Zones
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______________________ ______________________ ______________________ | | | | | | | -[10 KILOTONS]- | | -[1 MEGATON]- | | -[20 MEGATONS]- | |----------------------| |----------------------| |----------------------| | Airburst - 1,980 ft | | Airburst - 8,000 ft | | Airburst - 17,500 ft | |______________________| |______________________| |______________________| | | | | | | | [1] 0.5 miles | | [1] 2.5 miles | | [1] 8.75 miles | | [2] 1 mile | | [2] 3.75 miles | | [2] 14 miles | | [3] 1.75 miles | | [3] 6.5 miles | | [3] 27 miles | | [4] 2.5 miles | | [4] 7.75 miles | | [4] 31 miles | | [5] 3 miles | | [5] 10 miles | | [5] 35 miles | | | | | | | |______________________| |______________________| |______________________|
Uranium is a heavy metal, heavier than gold, and not only does it have the largest atoms of any natural element, the atoms that comprise Uranium have far more neutrons than protons. This does not enhance their capacity t split, but it does have an important bearing on their capacity to facilitate an explosion.
There The minimum amount to start a chain reaction as described above is known as SuperCritical Mass. The actual mass needed to facilitate this chain reaction depends upon the purity of the material, but for pure U-235, it is 110 pounds (50 kilograms), but no Uranium is never quite pure, so in realit more will be needed.
Plutonium will not start a fast chain reaction by itself, but this difficulty is overcome by having a neutron source, a highly radioactive material that gives off neutrons faster than the Plutonium itself. In certain types of bombs, a mixture of the elements Beryllium and Polonium is used t bring about this reaction. Only a small piece is needed. The material is no fissionable in and of itself, but merely acts as a catalyst to the greater reaction
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While Frequency Modulated-Continuous Wave (FM CW) is more complicated the accuracy of it far surpasses any other type of altimeter. Like simpl pulse systems, signals are emitted from a radar aerial (the bomb), bounced of the ground and received back at the bomb's altimeter. This pulse syste applies to the more advanced altimeter system, only the signal is continuou and centered around a high frequency such as 4200 MHz. This signal i arranged to steadily increase at 200 MHz per interval before dropping back to its original frequency
Air Pressure Detonator The air pressure detonator can be a very complex mechanism, but for all practical purposes, a simpler model can be used. At high altitudes, the ai is of lesser pressure. As the altitude drops, the air pressure increases. simple piece of very thin magnetized metal can be used as an air pressur detonator. All that is needed is for the strip of metal to have a bubble o extremely thin metal forged in the center and have it placed directl underneath the electrical contact which will trigger the conventiona explosive detonation. Before setting the strip in place, push the bubble in so that it will be inverted
Once the air pressure has achieved the desired level, the magnetic bubble will snap back into its original position and strike the contact, thus completing the circuit and setting off the explosive(s).
Detonating Head
Conventional Explosive Charge(s)
This explosive is used to introduce (and weld) the lesser amount of
Uranium to the greater amount within the bomb's housing. [The amount o
pressure needed to bring this about is unknown and possibly classified by the
United States Government for reasons of National Security]
Plastic explosives work best in this situation since they can be manipulated to enable both a Uranium bomb and a Plutonium bomb to detonate. One very good explosive is Urea Nitrate. The directions on how to make Urea Nitrate are as follows:
It may be necessary to make a quantity larger than the aforementioned list calls for to bring about an explosion great enough to cause the Uranium (or Plutonium) sections to weld together on impact
The U-238 neutron deflector can serve 2 purposes. In a Uranium bomb, the neutron deflector serves as a safeguard to keep an accidental supercritical mass from occurring by bouncing the stray neutrons from the `bullet' counterpart of the Uranium mass away from the greater mass below it (and vice- versa). The neutron deflector in a Plutonium bomb actually helps the wedges of Plutonium retain their neutrons by `reflecting' the stray particles back into the center of the assembly. [See diagram in Section 4 of this file.]
Uranium & Plutonium
Uranium-235 is very difficult to extract. In fact, for every 25,000 tons
of Uranium ore that is mined from the earth, only 50 tons of Uranium metal can
be refined from that, and 99.3% of that metal is U-238 which is too stable to
be used as an active agent in an atomic detonation. To make matters even more
complicated, no ordinary chemical extraction can separate the two isotopes
since both U-235 and U-238 possess precisely identical chemical
characteristics. The only methods that can effectively separate U-235 fro
U-238 are mechanical methods.
Once the process of gaseous diffusion is finished, the Uranium must b refined once again. Magnetic separation of the extract from the previous enriching process is then implemented to further refine the Uranium. This involves electrically charging Uranium Tetrachloride gas and directing it pas a weak electromagnet. Since the lighter U-235 particles in the gas stream are less affected by the magnetic pull, they can be gradually separated from the flow.
Following the first two procedures, a third enrichment process is then applied to the extract from the second process. In this procedure, a gas centrifuge is brought into action to further separate the lighter U-235 from its heavier counter-isotope. Centrifugal force separates the two isotopes of Uranium by their mass. Once all of these procedures have been completed, all that need be done is to place the properly molded components of Uranium-235 inside a warhead that will facilitate an atomic detonation.
Supercritical mass for Uranium-235 is defined as 110 lbs (50 kgs) o pure Uranium.
Depending on the refining process(es) used when purifying the U-235 for use, along with the design of the warhead mechanism and the altitude at which it detonates, the explosive force of the A-bomb can range anywhere from 1 kiloton (which equals 1,000 tons of TNT) to 20 megatons (which equals 20 million tons of TNT -- which, by the way, is the smallest strategic nuclear warhead we possess today. {Point in fact -- One Trident Nuclear Submarine carries as much destructive power as 25 World War II's}).
While Uranium is an ideally fissionable material, it is not the only one. Plutonium can be used in an atomic bomb as well. By leaving U-238 inside an atomic reactor for an extended period of time, the U-238 picks up extra particles (neutrons especially) and gradually is transformed into the element Plutonium.
Plutonium is fissionable, but not as easily fissionable as Uranium. While Uranium can be detonated by a simple 2-part gun-type device, Plutonium must be detonated by a more complex 32-part implosion chamber along with a stronger conventional explosive, a greater striking velocity and a simultaneous triggering mechanism for the conventional explosive packs. Along with all of these requirements comes the additional task of introducing a fin mixture of Beryllium and Polonium to this metal while all of these actions are occurring
Supercritical mass for Plutonium is defined as 35.2 lbs (16 kgs). This amount needed for a supercritical mass can be reduced to a smaller quantity of 22 lbs (10 kgs) by surrounding the Plutonium with a U-238 casing.
To illustrate the vast difference between a Uranium gun-type detonato and a Plutonium implosion detonator, here is a quick rundown.
Lead Shield
The lead shield's only purpose is to prevent the inherent radioactivity of the bomb's payload from interfering with the other mechanisms of the bomb. The neutron flux of the bomb's payload is strong enough to short circuit the internal circuitry and cause an accidental or premature detonation
IV. The Diagram of the Atomic Bomb
Gravity Bomb Model
Cutaway Sections Visible
/\ / \ <---------------------------[1] / \ _________________/______\________________ | : ||: ~ ~ : | [2]-------> | : ||: : | | : ||: : | | : ||: : | | : ||: : | | : ||: : | | : ||: : | | : ||: : | | : ||: : | | : ||: : | : ||: : | | : ||: : | | :______||:_____________________________: | |/_______||/______________________________\| \ ~\ | | / \ |\ | | \ | \ | | / \ | \ | | / \ |___\ |______________| \ | \ |~ \ \|_______\|_________________\_/ |_____________________________ / / _________________ \ / _/ \_ / __/ \__ / / \ /__ _/ \_ __ [3]_______________________________ \ _ / / \ \ / / \/ \ / / ___________ \ \ | / __/___________\__ \ | | |_ ___ /=================\ ___ _| [4]---------> _||___|====|[[[[[[[|||]]]]]]]|====|___||_ <--------[4 | | |-----------------| | | | |o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o| <-------------------[5] | | \_______________/ | | | |__ |: :| __| | | \______________ |: :| ______________/ | | | ________________\|: :|/________________ | | |/ |::::|: :|::::| \| [6]----------------------> |::::|: :|::::| <---------------------[6] | | |::::|: :|::::| | | | |::==|: :|== <------------------------[9] | | |::__\: :/__::| | | | | |:: ~: :~ ::| | [7]----------------------------> \_/ ::| | | | |~\________/~\|:: ~ ::|/~\________/~| | | | ||:: <-------------------------[8] | |_/~~~~~~~~\_/|::_ _ _ _ _::|\_/~~~~~~~~\_| | [9]-------------------------->_=_=_=_=_::| | | | | :::._______.::: | | | .:::| |:::.. | | | | ..:::::'| |`:::::.. | [6]---------------->.::::::' || || `::::::.<---------------[6] | | .::::::' | || || | `::::::. | | /| | .::::::' | || || | `::::::. | | | | | .:::::' | || <-----------------------------[10] | | |.:::::' | || || | `:::::.| | | | ||::::' | |`. .'| | `::::|| | [11]___________________________ ``~'' __________________________[11 : | | \:: \ / ::/ | | | | | \:_________|_|\/__ __\/|_|_________:/ | / | | | __________~___:___~__________ | | || | | | | |:::::::| | | | | [12] /|: | | | | |:::::::| | | | | |~~~~~ / |: | | | | |:::::::| | | | |----> / /|: | | | | |:::::::| <-----------------[10 | / / |: | | | | |:::::::| | | | | / |: | | | | |::::<-----------------------------[13 | / /|: | | | | |:::::::| | | | | / / |: | | | | `:::::::' | | | | _/ / /:~: | | | `: ``~'' :' | | | | / / ~.. | | |: `: :' :| | |->| / / : | | ::: `. .' <----------------[11 | |/ / ^ ~\| \ ::::. `. .' .:::: / | ~ /|\ | \_::::::. `. .' .::::::_/ |_______| | \::::::. `. .' .:::<-----------------[6 |_________\:::::.. `~.....~' ..:::::/_________ | \::::::::.......::::::::/ | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ `. . `. . `. . `:. .: `::. .::' `::.. ..:: `:::.. ..:::' `::::::... ..:::::: [14]------------------> `:____:::::::::::____:' <-----------------[14] ```::::_____::::''' ~~~~ - Diagram Outline --------------------- [1] - Tail Cone [2] - Stabilizing Tail Fin [3] - Air Pressure Detonato [4] - Air Inlet Tube(s) [5] - Altimeter/Pressure Sensor [6] - Lead Shield Containe [7] - Detonating Head [8] - Conventional Explosive Charge [9] - Packing [10] - Uranium (U-235) [Plutonium (See other diagram)] [11] - Neutron Deflector (U-238) [12] - Telemetry Monitoring Probe [13] - Receptacle for U-235 upon detonation to facilitate supercritical mass [14] - Fuses (inserted to arm bomb
Diagram for Plutonium Bomb
Cutaway Sections Visible
Gravity Bomb - Implosion Model
/ / \ <---------------------------[1 / \ _________________/______\________________ | : ||: ~ ~ : | [2]-------> | : ||: : | | : ||: : | : ||: : | : ||: : | : ||: : | | : ||: : | : ||: : | : ||: : | : ||: : | | : ||: : | : ||: : | :______||:_____________________________: |/_______||/______________________________\ \ ~\ | : |:| \ |\ | : |:| \ | \ | :__________|:| / \ |:_\ | :__________\:| \ |___\ |______________| \ | \ |~ \ \|_______\|_________________\_ |_____________________________ / \ / / \ / _______________ / ___/ \___ \ /____ __/ \__ ____\ [3]_______________________________ \ ___| / __/ \ \__ / / \/ \ / / ___________ \ \ / / __/___________\__ \ \ ./ /__ ___ /=================\ ___ __\ \. [4]-------> ___||___|====|[[[[[|||||||]]]]]|====|___||___ <------[4] / / |=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o=| <-------------------[5 .' / \_______ _______/ \ `. : |___ |*| ___| .' | \_________________ |*| _________________/ | ` : | ___________ ___ \ |*| / ___ ___________ | : : |__/ \ / \_\\*//_/ \ / \__| : |______________:|:____:: **::****:|:********\ <---------[6 .' /:|||||||||||||'`|;..:::::::::::..;|'`|||||||*|||||:\ `. [7]----------> ||||||' .:::;~|~~~___~~~|~;:::. `|||||*|| <-------[7 : |:|||||||||' .::'\ ..:::::::::::.. /`::. `|||*|||||:| : |:|||||||' .::' .:::''~~ ~~``:::. `::. `|\***\|:| : |:|||||' .::\ .::''\ | [9] | /``::: /::. `|||*|:| : [8]------------>::' .::' \|_________|/ `::: `::. `|* <-----[6 `. \:||' .::' ::'\ [9] . . . [9] /::: `::. *|:/ .' : \:' :::'.::' \ . . / `::.`::: *:/ : | .::'.::'____\ [10] . [10] /____`::.`::.*| : | :::~::: | . . . | :::~:::*| : : | ::: :: [9] | . . ..:.. . . | [9] :: :::*| : : \ ::: :: | . :\_____________________________[11 `. \`:: ::: ____| . . . |____ ::: ::'/ . : \:;~`::. / . [10] [10] . \ .::'~::/ `. \:. `::. / . . . \ .::' .:/ . : \:. `:::/ [9] _________ [9] \:::' .:/ : `. \::. `:::. /| |\ .:::' .::/ .' : ~~\:/ `:::./ | [9] | \.:::' \:/~~ `:=========\::. `::::... ...::::' .::/=========:' `: ~\::./ ```:::::::::''' \.::/~ : `. ~~~~~~\| ~~~ |/~~~~~~ . `. \:::...:::/ .' `. ~~~~~~~~~ . `. . `:. .: `::. .:: `::.. ..:: `:::.. ..::: `::::::... ..:::::: [12]------------------> `:____:::::::::::____:' <-----------------[12 ```::::_____::::'' ~~~~ - Diagram Outline -------------------- [1] - Tail Cone [2] - Stabilizing Tail Fins [3] - Air Pressure Detonato [4] - Air Inlet Tube(s) [5] - Altimeter/Pressure Sensor [6] - Electronic Conduits & Fusing Circuit [7] - Lead Shield Containe [8] - Neutron Deflector (U-238 [9] - Conventional Explosive Charge(s [10] - Plutonium (Pu-239 [11] - Receptacle for Beryllium/Polonium mixtur to facilitate atomic detonation reaction [12] - Fuses (inserted to arm bomb
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