Chapter 2—The Nuclear Testing Program © 25
Photo creat Severes Nucea Agency
Tunnel Cavity
ing the proposed hole and review it for containment.
The laboratory then presents the full containment
environmental impact, a nuclear satety study.-7 a
to 3 months in advanceof the detonation. The CEP
is a panel of experts that review and evaluate the
containmentplan for each test.22 Each CEP panel
member goes on record with a statement concerning
his judgmentof the containment. The CEP chairman
summarizesthe likelihood of containment and gives
his recommendation to the manager of Nevada
the test. The DAR packageis sent to the DOE Office
of Military Application for approval Although test
pian to the Containment Evaluation Panel (CEP) 2
Operations.
Following the CEP meeting, a Detonation Authority Request (DAR) package is prepared. The
DARpackage contains a description of the proposed
test, the containmentplan, the recommendations of
the CEP, the chairman’s statement, a review of the
review of compliance with the TTBT. the public
announcementplans, and any noteworthy aspects of
preparations are underway throughout the approval
process, no irreversible action to conduct the test 1s
taken prior to final approval.
After the test has been approved. the Test Group
Director of the sponsoring Laborators will then
request ‘authority to move, emplace. and stem’ the
nuclear device from the Nevada test site “Test
Controller’* for that specific test The Test Controller also has an advisory panel consisting of a
Chairman and three other members The Chairman
(called the Scientific Advisor) 1s a semor svienust
22See Ch. 3, ‘Containment Evaluation Panel.’
23The nuclear safety study prepared by DOE Safety Division contains safety considerations notrelated to containment, such as ‘he nossimuity ot
premature or inadvertent detonation.
24In the case of tests sponsored by the Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA), the Scientific Advisor is from Sandia National Labor aor