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Wevada Briefings.
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There follow some suggestions for your use in:
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briefings relative to the relationship of the Nevada test:‘progrens to
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The primary responsibility for the development of nev etonic
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the weapon development Program of the Atomic:Energy Countontons’
weapons as well as the improvement of existing devices is carried out
for the Atomic Energy Coomiasion by the Los Alamos Scientific
Laboratory.
Supplementary work in this field is also being carried.
out by the Radiation Laboratery of the University of Osliforniea at.
Livermore.
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Research in the field ofatomic veapons is alvays directed: at.
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getting the most for one’s money (1.0. fissionable material) under the
particular conditions required by the use or delivery systen‘of the
weapon, Accordingly, the LASL directs its efforts both tovards
increasing the efficiency ofuse of active material in a given weapon
system, and to increasing the scope and flexibility of atomic weapons
so that they be available for the maximum nunber of epplications to:,
problems of warfare.
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Research on atomic weapons means, of course, not only research on. °
the best ways under various circumstances to use fissionable material
but research on the use of cheaper materials for atomic weapons.
Thermonuclear reactions, sametimes publicly described as the B-Bonh, :
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fall in this field.
CLASSIFICATION CANCELLED
Laboratory research and study can investigate nuclear phepouens.
or the other phenomena of potential nuclear weapons only up to the
point before a nuclear chain reaction starts. There are two reasons.
for this: one, a chain reaction requires the use of expensive
fissionable. material; and two, after the chain reaction starts, one
has an atomic bomb and {t would be impractical to build and steff «a
new Los Alamos after every experiment!
With stand-in materials the LASL can investigate in considerable
detail most of the behavior of an atomic bomb up to the time when,
with real materials, it would ectuslly start to explode. However, the
explosive phase of the reaction is not only the most interesting and.
the most important phase, but it is the phase which is least susceptible
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FORM SSR 100m 8-58