yield only by physical and geological considerations and availability of funds.
Without detailed study and knowledge of lab requirements, we estimate that this
capability should be several times that which we had for low yield tunnel sites N@
2 months ago and many times that which we had in hole capacity."
Reeves emphasizes
the need for developing sites for high yield shots either with very deep holes or
tunnel and shaft configurations.
as follows:
The final statement reiterates the earlier feelings
"Should it develop that atmospheric as well as underground testing is
activated, we would recommend that atmospheric testing be held to a minimum even at
the expense of increased costs and acceptable delay in order to decrease to a minimum
the probability of public opinion forcing an early termination of atmospheric testing."
iN
4)
To this statement the penciled in comment in the LASL files is an emphatic NO.
The Livermore answer to the same questions came from Foster to Betts on 2 Nov.
As to more advantageous tests underground,
those low yield tests which require
extensive diagnostics are best conducted underground due to the natural shielding.
of the rock compared to atmospheric problems.
In the event of atmospheric testing
never beginning or ending sometime in the future,
.
higher yield
the critical area would in
af
.
devices and Livermore feels thaty the present _time they are limited
to about two detonations per year in the 50 to 100 kiloton range and have no
capability above 100 kilotons.
The Christmas Tree concept is being developed as
one way of meeting this requirement.
As for a stockpile of sites for detonations
4
in the zero to 100 kiloton range, Livermore feels it is reasonable to estimate 12
tunnels portals would be required to provide a capability of making approximately
50 detonations per year.
Livermore does take a stab at a comparison of costs and
times for tunnel configurations vs. vertical holes.
The table constructed shows
considerable costs advantage and some time advantage for low yield hole denotations
over tunnels (less than 5 kilotons) with significantly less cost advantage but some,
and a reversal of the time advantage in favor of tunnels for detonations in the 5