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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ALAMOS SCIENTIFIC LABORATORY
(CONTRACT W-7405-ENG-36) _
P. O. BOX 1663 .
LOS ALAMOS, NEW MEXICO
September 5,
1952.
Dr. D. L. Northrup
Technical Director, AFOAT~1
Headquarters United States Air Force
Washington 25, D. Cc.
Dear Dr. Northrup:
- Enclosed herewith are comments by Dr. R. W. Spence re-
garding the AFOAT-1 study by Colonel Douthett (Tech. Meme. No. 74)
concerning the detection of the MIKE shot.
-
.
It is my own impression that the phraseology of this
“memorandum may be generally such as to. imply considerable more
certainty regarding the distant identification and interpreta-
tion of this device than may be the case.
The statements which
|
~ have to do with relative amounts of materials which may be
formed are correct with the modifications noted in Dr. Spence's
comments.
However, those which deal with absolute quantities
or the -detection of gases or which imply a simultaneous knowledge
of the yield appear to me to be highly unlikely criteria.
T am also struck by the fact that the radiochemical
observations on our own devices with large samples and a knowl-
> edge of the yeild and make-up of the weapon have frequently
With weak’
been far less easy to interpret than one would wish.
‘gamples obtained at great distances I would ‘suspect far greater
difficulties.
Our own lack of success in interpreting what
has gone on in Russian explosions seems to me to indicate that
“Russia must experience at least as much difficulty in trying
to. understand ours.
Very trulyyours,
/s/
N. E. Bradbury
Director