ON CRATERING: A Brief History, Analysis, and Theory of Cratering

Proceedings of the Third Plowshare Symposium Engineering With Nuclear Explosives, April 21-23, 1964

“…Assuming a reasonable ongle of repose for alluvium, 450, crater radii for scaled depths of burst from about 10 to 65 m are predicted. These estimated opparent crater radii compare very favorably with the observed crater radii (Nordyke, 1961) for H.E. i n alluvium.…”

“…The development of the cavity, mound, and the earth's free surface during the gas acceleration phase has been numerically simulated for several depths of burial of the I/Z-kiloton H. E. source. Assuming a reasonable angle of repose for alluvium of 45", the apparent crater radii a r e predicted and a r e compared with the observed crater radii (Nordyke, 1961) for H. E. in alluvium.…”

“…Some of the concepts anddiscussion of proce s s e s important for cratering have previously been reported (Nordyke, 1961). Models of the gas acceleration phase of excavation have been recently developed (Knox and Terhune, 1963).…”

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 367: Area 10 Sedan, Ess and Uncle Unit Craters Nevada Test Site, Nevada, Revision 0

“…This test resulted in formation of a crater measuring 78.4 m in diameter and 16.2 m deep. The detonation deposited "almost all" of the total activity as fallout (Nordyke, 1961). The test was part of Operation Jangle, to test weapons effects from a specific type of weapon system.…”

EMPLACEMENT AND FIRING OF HIGH-EXPLOSIVE CHARGES AND CRATER MEASUREMENTS. Final Report

“…periments be studied c l o s e l y t o ( 1 ) v e r i f y and/or r e f i n e t h e data and conclusions from Pre-Buggy and ( 2 ) determine more p r e c i s e l y t h e zones of permanent e a r t h deformation beyond t h e t r u e c r a t e r . m/sec (~e f e r e n c e '14).…”