In Ekker series, French nuclear tests
In Ekker series | |
---|---|
Location of the Oasis Military Experiments Centre (CEMO) | |
Information | |
Country | France |
Test site | In Ekker, French Algeria |
Coordinates | 24°03′25″N 05°03′06″E / 24.05694°N 5.05167°E |
Period | 1961–1966 |
Number of tests | 13 + 5 AN-11/21 |
Test type | Underground |
Device type | A-bombs |
Max. yield | 127 kt (531.4 TJ) |
Test series chronology | |
The In Ekker series was a group of 13 underground A-bomb nuclear tests and 5 bombs explosions for the Mirage IV conducted by France between November 1961 and February 1966.[1] The bombs were detonated at the Oasis Military Experiments Centre near In Ekker, French Algeria at the Tan Afella in the Hoggar Mountains, by the Nuclear Experiments Operational Group (GOEN), a unit of the Joint Special Weapons Command. The series saw the explosion of the first AN-11/21 bombs and was followed by the 1966–70 series.
Codenames[]
The 13 underground operations were named after jewel stones, while the 5 AN-11/21 bombs tests were designated as Pollen I, Pollen Rose, Pollen Rouge, Pollen Safran and Pollen Jonquille.
Chart of the tests[]
Codename[a] | Date time (UTC) | Location | Elevation | Altitude | Delivery | Purpose | Device | Yield | Fallouts[b] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Agate | 1961-11-07 – 11:29:59.9 | Shaft E1 North – CEMO Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria 24°03′25″N 05°03′06″E / 24.05694°N 5.05167°E |
1,400 m | 0 m[c] | Tunnel |
|
S1 | 5.0 kt | After 8 hours :
|
Béryl | 1962-05-01 – 10:00:00.5 | Shaft E2 – CEMO Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria 24°03′47″N 05°02′30″E / 24.06306°N 5.04167°E |
1,580 m | 0 m[c] | Tunnel |
|
S2[d] | >30.0 kt | After few minutes :[e]
After 1 hour :
After 1 day :
|
(Georgette) |
1963-03-18 – 10:02:00.4 | Shaft E3 South – CEMO Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria 24°02′29″N 05°03′09″E / 24.04139°N 5.05250°E |
1,540 m | 0 m[c] | Tunnel | 10.0 kt | After 8 hours :
| ||
1963-03-30 – 09:59:00.3 | Shaft E3 Bis – CEMO Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria 24°02′36″N 05°03′24″E / 24.04333°N 5.05667°E |
1,220 m | 0 m[c] | Tunnel |
|
P1 | 0.85 kt | After 20 minutes :[e]
After 1 day :
| |
1963-10-20 – 13:00:00.1 | Shaft E5 – CEMO Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria 24°02′05″N 05°02′12″E / 24.03472°N 5.03667°E |
1,510 m | 0 m[c] | Tunnel | 68.0 kt | After 1 hour :[e]
After 5 hours :
After 14 hours :
| |||
(Michèle) |
1964-02-14 – 11:00:00.3 | Shaft E1 South – CEMO Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria 24°03′13″N 05°03′07″E / 24.05361°N 5.05194°E |
1,380 m | 0 m[c] | Tunnel | 3.7 kt | After 6 hours :
| ||
Pollen I | 1964-05-08 – ??:??:??.? | Shooting range – CEMO Tan Ataram, In Ekker, French Algeria 23°55′57″N 04°44′26″E / 23.93250°N 4.74056°E |
940 m | 0 m | Surface |
|
AN-11 | N/A | |
1964-06-15 – 13:40:00.4 | Shaft E6-1 – CEMO Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria 24°03′59″N 05°02′03″E / 24.06639°N 5.03417°E |
1,410 m | 0 m[c] | Tunnel |
|
A1 | >1.0 kt | After 6 hours :
| |
1964-11-28 – 10:30:00.0 | Shaft E4 – CEMO Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria 24°02′30″N 05°02′29″E / 24.04167°N 5.04139°E |
1,760 m | 0 m[c] | Tunnel |
|
H2 | 5 kt | None | |
Pollen Rose | 1964-12-31 – 06:28:??.? | Shooting range – CEMO Tan Ataram, In Ekker, French Algeria 23°55′57″N 04°44′26″E / 23.93250°N 4.74056°E |
940 m | +1 m | Tower |
|
AN-11 | N/A | Contaminated area of 0.550 km2 |
(Monique) |
1965-02-27 – 11:30:00.0 | Shaft E7 – CEMO Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria 24°03′31″N 05°01′52″E / 24.05861°N 5.03111°E |
1,830 m | 0 m[c] | Tunnel |
|
B1 | 117 kt | Leak of noble gases (Drilling T71) |
1965-05-30 – 11:00:00.0 | Shaft E1-3 – CEMO Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria 24°03′18″N 05°03′02″E / 24.05500°N 5.05056°E |
1,460 m | 0 m[c] | Tunnel |
|
A2 | 0.6 kt | After 2 hours :[e]
After 4 hours :
After 2 weeks :
| |
1965-10-01 – 10:00:00.0 | Shaft E6-1 – CEMO Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria 24°03′53″N 05°02′02″E / 24.06472°N 5.03389°E |
1,500 m | 0 m[c] | Tunnel |
|
A3 | >4 kt | After 15 minutes :
After 11 hours :
| |
Pollen Rouge | 1965-11-01 – 21:53:??.? | Shooting range – CEMO Tan Ataram, In Ekker, French Algeria 23°55′57″N 04°44′26″E / 23.93250°N 4.74056°E |
940 m | +15 m | Tower |
|
AN-11 | N/A | Contaminated area of 2.100 km2 |
1965-12-01 – 10:30:00.1 | Shaft E3 North – CEMO Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria 24°02′37″N 05°02′48″E / 24.04361°N 5.04667°E |
1,600 m | 0 m[c] | Tunnel |
|
G3 | 10 kt | After 1 day :
| |
Pollen Safran | 1966-01-10 – 02:06:??.? | Shooting range – CEMO Tan Ataram, In Ekker, French Algeria 23°55′57″N 04°44′26″E / 23.93250°N 4.74056°E |
940 m | +15 m | Tower |
|
AN-21 | N/A | Contaminated area of 5.600 km2 |
(Carmen) |
1966-02-16 – 11:00:00.0 | Shaft E4-2 North – CEMO Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria 24°02′41″N 05°02′28″E / 24.04472°N 5.04111°E |
1,760 m | 0 m[c] | Tunnel |
|
G'3 | 13 kt | After 2 hours :
|
Pollen Jonquille | 1966-03-09 – 22:12:??.? | Shooting range – CEMO Tan Ataram, In Ekker, French Algeria 23°55′57″N 04°44′26″E / 23.93250°N 4.74056°E |
940 m | +1 m | Tower |
|
AN-21 | N/A | Contaminated area of 2.750 km2 |
References : [2][3][4][5][6] |
See also[]
- List of nuclear weapons tests of France
- Nuclear weapons and France
- Force de Frappe
- History of nuclear weapons
Notes[]
- ^ Parenthesis indicate the name given by the APEX (Application Pacifique des EXpérimentations nucléaires), a peaceful use organization.
- ^ Original 60's numbers are in rad/h and were converted to Gy/h, the SI derived unit for ionizing radiation dose.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m Horizontal tunnel of 1,000 m.
- ^ Emergency device S3 ready had S2 failed.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Uncontained explosion
- ^ Operations Diaspora, Lapin Bleu, Lapin Blanc, Lapin Rouge and Tortue.
References[]
- ^ Senate of the French Republic (15 December 1997). "French Senate report #179: The first French tests in the Sahara". senat.fr (in French). Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ Radiological Conditions at the Former French Nuclear Test Sites in Algeria: Preliminary Assessment and Recommendations (PDF) (Technical report). Vienna: International Atomic Energy Agency. 1 March 2005. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
- ^ Report on French Nuclear Tests (1960-1996) (PDF) (Technical report) (in French). Government of the French Republic. p. 118. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
- ^ Yang, Xiaoping; North, Robert; Romney, Carl. Worldwide Nuclear Explosions (PDF) (Technical report). Science Applications International Corporation, Center for Monitoring Research. p. 20. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
- ^ Report on health and environmental hazards of France's nuclear tests between 1960 and 1996 [...] (PDF) (Technical report) (in French). Paris: National Assembly of the French Republic. 5 February 2001. p. 36. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
- ^ French Nuclear Testing, 1960-1988 (PDF) (Technical report). New York: Natural Resources Defense Council. February 1989. p. 26. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
- French nuclear weapons testing
- History of the Sahara
- Algerian War
- Algeria–France relations
- 1961 in Algeria
- 1962 in Algeria
- 1963 in Algeria
- 1964 in Algeria
- 1965 in Algeria
- 1966 in Algeria