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Question 17
. Another type of Plowshare explosion--the kind used to "mine" natural gas
and oil, for instance--is deeply buried, and seems to raise completely
different environmental questions.
Part A Question 17
Is there any difference in nuclide production from explosives used for
excavation, and explosives used for underground engineering?
equally clean?
Or are they
Part A Answer Question 17
The AEC is studying the design of nuclear fission explosives which”
produce minimal amounts of tritium to be used for industrial applications
such as stimulation of natural gus and oil.
Similarly, special explosives
have been designed for excavation applications which produce minimal amounts
of fission products.
In each case, the explosive is specifically designed
to limtt to the greatest extent possible the production of radionuclides
troublesome to that particular application.
_ Part B Question 17
Does anyone understand why some tests vent and others do not?
it not be predicted?
If so, why can
Part B Answer Question 17
Since 1961, no Plowshare experiments designed for complete containment
have vented.
However, the Commission is continuing its work to refine
calculational models to predict the conditions necessary for containment of
further detonations.
These models, based on theoretical studies of specific
parameters such as the type of rock and special emplacement techniques, are