Rebound subcritical experiment draws protest
by Andy Holtmann
Despite avid protests by anti-nuclear demonstrators, the
first in a series of experiment designed to test the endurance
and safety of the nation's nuclear stockpile was successfull
conducted at the Nevada Test Site last Wednesday.
The subcritical experiment, called Rebound, was the first
nuclear related test done on the test site grounds since
September 1992. The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty signed
in 1996 prohibits the testing of nuclear weapons around the
world. Nations that have ex-
isting nuclear weapons how-
ever, are allowed to conduct
non-nuclear reaction experi-
ments designed to maintain
their stockpiles.
"This is an important day
for this nation's stockpile
stewardship program," said
obin Staffin, the deputy as-
sistant secretary of research
for the U.S. Department of
Energy.
"The association of what
we did here with nuclear weap-
ons testing in the late 1980s is
an association with the past.
Developing new nuclear
weapons is not the purpose of
"The three were
known protesters
and were
I
apprehended after
their dirt bikes
tripped sensors."
this program, it is not the policy of the United States."
Wednesday's 10 a.m. :riment used 160 pounds of chemi-
cal high explosives to send metal plates flying into a silver
dollar sized piece of plutonium to test the pressure and
reliability issues after years of aging. Plutonium is the key
element of nuclear weapons.
Conducted by Los Alamos Laboratories, the experiment
took place at the test sites U1A complex, nearly 1,000 feet
under the earth's surface. No ground level tremors were felt.
Test Director Raffi Papazian said that the actual force of the
blast is about the equivalent of a handful of cherry bombs.
Opponents of the subcritical experiments say that what is
being done at the test site is indirect violation of the Test Ban
Treaty. Many also say that the subcriticals are an excuse to
advance the design of new nuclear weapons.
"It sends a message to the
world that the U.S. is not
upholding their end of the
treaty," said Julia
Occiogrosso, who was pro-
testing at the DOE's Las Ve-
gas office early Wednesday
morning. This test is collect-
ing data that will be used for
further development of new
weapons.
The Nevada Department
of Energy contends that they
are in full compliance with
the treaty due to the fact that
no nuclear fission chain re-
action occurs. They also say
that the subcriticals are
needed to successfully pro-
tect, store and maintain the
current stockpile.
"Without subcritical test-
ing we would be forced to
revert back to full out nuclear
testing," said Joe Fiore, the
assistant manager of Na-
tional Security for Nevada
--,,Operations. This is the start
• ofa new era for the test site.
According to both Staffin
and Fiore, the goal is to gain
enough data from subcriti-
cal testing to be able to simu-
late nuclear detonations and
situations on advanced com-
puter systems. DOE repre-
sentatives hope to reach this
goal by the year 2006.
Anti.nuclear protestors at
the front gate of the test
halted a media bus that was
destined for a control point
near the U 1A complex about
two hours before
Wednesday's test. Three
chained themselves beneath
the bus and the remainder waved flags and banners and sang
anti-nuclear chants.
The incident stalled the media bus for about 20 minutes
until officers from the Nye County Sheriffs Office, Nevada
Highway Patrol and Test Site Security could successfully
detain the demonstrators.
Earlier that morning at about 4:45 a.m., three men were
caught on the test site grounds near the U 1A complex. The
three were known protesters
• and were apprehended after
their dirt bikes tripped sen-
sors.
Original estimates given
by DOE officials placed the
number of arrests at 10, but
that number was later re-
canted by Nye County
Sheriff's Department who
said the actual number was
eight. The three dirt bikers
were charged with trespass-
ing and the demonstrators
were charged with obstruc-
tion of a highway. All were
taken to Beatty and booked
into the jail there.
Scientists monitored the
blast from above ground
checkpoints 45 miles away from the U1A complex. No
initial problems were reported and officials said that al-
though the room in which Rebound was conducted will
never be re-entered, workers could go back down to the U 1A
complex as soon as the next day.
The United States has 9,800 nuclear weapons in its
stockpile. Scientists have never been able to study pluto-
nium after nuclear reactions because it vaporizes. DOE
officials hope that this series of subcritical tests will help
study the reactions of the chemical based metal so they can
successfully maintain the stockpile as President Clinton has
requested.
The second subcritical test is tentatively slated for Octo-
ber of this year.
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