Operation Crosstie
Encyclopedia
Operation Crosstie was a series of 48 nuclear tests mostly conducted in Nevada
during 1967 and 1968. These tests followed the Latchkey
series and preceded Bowline
.
The blast designated Gasbuggy involved an underground detonation, intended to stimulate production of natural gas
by cracking the rock in the underground formation of its deposit. The test was a double-failure, as not only the production did not increase as much as expected, but the customers also refused to buy gas contaminated with traces of radioisotopes. However, the detonation happened mostly as desired.
Buggy was a Plowshare
test designed to excavate a channel. It was a simultaneous detonation of 5 devices, placed 150 feet (45.7 m) apart and 150 feet (45.7 m) below the surface that resulted in a
channel 300 feet (91.4 m) wide,
900 feet long, and 80 feet (24.4 m) deep
.
The Faultless test was a "calibration test" conducted in a mine cavity 3,200 feet beneath the Hot Creek Valley near Tonopah
, Nevada
, with a yield of around 1 megatons. This test was conducted to see if the land was fit for testing a 5 megaton thermonuclear warhead for the Spartan Missile, however the "calibration test" failed and was sardonically named Faultless, because of the large degree of faulting that could be seen in the roads and highways throughout the region following the test. As a result of this failed test, it was decided that the land was unfit for multimegaton nuclear tests, so a calibration test was conducted at Amchitka Island, Alaska
, in the fall of 1969 during Operation Mandrel
.
The individual tests of this series were:
Nevada Test Site
The Nevada National Security Site , previously the Nevada Test Site , is a United States Department of Energy reservation located in southeastern Nye County, Nevada, about northwest of the city of Las Vegas...
during 1967 and 1968. These tests followed the Latchkey
Operation Latchkey
Operation Latchkey was a series of 38 nuclear test explosions conducted in 1966 and 1967 at the Nevada Test Site .These tests followed the Flintlock series and were in turn followed by Crosstie...
series and preceded Bowline
Operation Bowline
Operation Bowline was a series of 48 nuclear test explosions conducted in 1968 and 1969 at the Nevada Test Site. These blasts followed Crosstie and preceded Mandrel.-Individual Tests:...
.
The blast designated Gasbuggy involved an underground detonation, intended to stimulate production of natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
by cracking the rock in the underground formation of its deposit. The test was a double-failure, as not only the production did not increase as much as expected, but the customers also refused to buy gas contaminated with traces of radioisotopes. However, the detonation happened mostly as desired.
Buggy was a Plowshare
Operation Plowshare
Project Plowshare was the overall United States term for the development of techniques to use nuclear explosives for peaceful construction purposes...
test designed to excavate a channel. It was a simultaneous detonation of 5 devices, placed 150 feet (45.7 m) apart and 150 feet (45.7 m) below the surface that resulted in a
channel 300 feet (91.4 m) wide,
900 feet long, and 80 feet (24.4 m) deep
.
The Faultless test was a "calibration test" conducted in a mine cavity 3,200 feet beneath the Hot Creek Valley near Tonopah
Tonopah, Nevada
Tonopah is a census-designated place located in and the county seat of Nye County, Nevada. It is located at the junction of U.S. Routes 6 and 95 approximately mid-way between Las Vegas and Reno....
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, with a yield of around 1 megatons. This test was conducted to see if the land was fit for testing a 5 megaton thermonuclear warhead for the Spartan Missile, however the "calibration test" failed and was sardonically named Faultless, because of the large degree of faulting that could be seen in the roads and highways throughout the region following the test. As a result of this failed test, it was decided that the land was unfit for multimegaton nuclear tests, so a calibration test was conducted at Amchitka Island, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, in the fall of 1969 during Operation Mandrel
Operation Mandrel
Operation Mandrel was a series of 53 nuclear test explosions conducted in 1969 and 1970. This test series included a 1.2 megaton "calibration shot" code-named Milrow, which was detonated underground at Amchitka Island, Alaska, and the 40 kiloton gas stimulation experiment code-named Rulison,...
.
The individual tests of this series were:
| Name | Date | Size |
|---|---|---|
| VITO | July 14 | < 20 kilotons |
| STANLEY | July 27 | 20 to 200 kilotons |
| GIBSON | August 4 | < 20 kilotons |
| WASHER | August 10 | < 20 kilotons |
| BORDEAUX | August 18 | < 20 kilotons |
| LEXINGTON | August 24 | < 20 kilotons |
| DOOR MIST | August 31 | < 20 kilotons |
| YARD | September 7 | 20 to 200 kilotons |
| GILROY | September 15 | < 20 kilotons |
| MARVEL | September 21 | 2.2 kilotons |
| ZAZA | September 27 | 20 to 200 kilotons |
| LANPHER | October 18 | 20 to 200 kilotons |
| COGNAC | October 25 | < 20 kilotons |
| SAZERAC | October 25 | < 20 kilotons |
| WORTH | October 25 | < 20 kilotons |
| COBBLER | November 8 | < 20 kilotons |
| POLKA | December 6 | < 20 kilotons |
| GASBUGGY | December 10 | 29 kilotons |
| STILT | December 15 | < 20 kilotons |
| HUPMOBILE | January 18 | 7.4 kilotons |
| STACCATO | January 19 | 20 to 200 kilotons |
| FAULTLESS (Hot Creek Valley, Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... ) | January 19 | < 1 megaton |
| BRUSH | January 24 | < 20 kilotons |
| CABRIOLET | January 26 | 2.3 kilotons |
| MALLET | January 31 | < 20 kilotons |
| KNOX | February 21 | 20 to 200 kilotons |
| TORCH | February 21 | < 20 kilotons |
| DORSAL FIN | February 29 | < 20 kilotons |
| RUSSET | March 5 | < 20 kilotons |
| BUGGY A, B, C, D, E | March 12 | 5×1.08 kilotons |
| POMMARD | March 14 | 1.5 kilotons |
| STINGER | March 22 | 20 to 200 kilotons |
| MILK SHAKE | March 25 | < 20 kilotons |
| BEVEL | April 4 | < 20 kilotons |
| NOOR, THROW | April 10 | < 20 kilotons |
| SHUFFLE | April 18 | 20 to 200 kilotons |
| SCROLL | April 23 | < 20 kilotons |
| BOXCAR | April 26 | 1.3 Megatons |
| HATCHET | May 3 | < 20 kilotons |
| CROCK | May 8 | < 20 kilotons |
| CLARKSMOBILE | May 17 | 20 to 200 kilotons |
| ADZE | May 28 | < 20 kilotons |
| WEMBLEY | June 5 | < 20 kilotons |
| TUB A, B, C, D, F | June 6 | 5 < 20 kilotons |
| RICKEY | June 15 | 20 to 200 kilotons |
| FUNNEL | June 25 | < 20 kilotons |
| SEVILLA | June 25 | < 20 kilotons |
| CHATEAUGAY | June 28 | 20 to 200 kilotons |