This document consists of
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Series
A
ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
PROPOSED HIGH ALTITUDE TEST
Report to the General Manager by the
Director of Military Application
1. In a letter to me dated October 7, 1955* Professor
E.
©. Lawrence expressed concern over the possibility that the
USSR may be capable of detonating nuclear devices at very great
altitudes, circumventing thereby our attempts to maintain long
range surveillance of their nuclear testing activities.
In
support of his concern Professor Lawrence pointed out that on
two USSR tests we obtained only an acoustic signal.
Professor
Lawrence. requested that AFOAT-1 be asked to investigate this
possibility, paying particular attention to a review of the
acoustic signal data now in its possession.
Further, Dr. Lawrence
suggested that the USAEC undertake a direct experimental
investigation of this problem by detonating one or more high
yield weapons at very high altitudes.
2. In furtherance of Professor Lawrence's suggestion we
wrote to AFOAT-1 on November 3, 1955* advising that organization
of Professor Lawrence's letter and requesting it to investigate
the possibility that the USSR could conduct thermonuclear weapons
tests at altitudes which would diminish the effectiveness of our
long range detection methods and further requesting that we be
furnished the AFOAT-1 estimate of suitable combinations of yield
* On file inDivision of Military Application
This document contains restricted data as
defined in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954,
Its transmittal or the disclosure of its
contents in any manner to an unauthorized
person is prohibited.
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