column would be of the order of 500 to 100 meters therefore we would not
expect to poison an area of more than a few square kilometers ."° Professor
Hirschfielder also proposed that FAT MAN be fired during weather conditions
"conducive to thunderstorms," which would reduce the radioactive fallout
from the "smoke column,"
Possible dangers from the radioactive cloud following the shot were
unknown.
Therefore, ‘precautions were taken to protect the unsuspecting
population near the test site,
On Sunday evening, 15 July 1915, a convoy
of Army trucks parked alonga road just outside the small town of
Carrizozo, New Mexico, northeast-of the test site,
The convoy commander
was in contact with the test operations by radio and, if the nuclear cloud
drifted over the little town, the truck convoy was to enter Carrizozo and
evacuate the citizens.’ Just before daylight on Monday, 16 July 195,
the first atomic bomb detonated with an energy release of approximately
23.8 ictlotons,°
Two Sherman medium tanks, with Army crews approached
the crater following detonation and measured the radiation,
They had
been modified for sampling; a scoop operated from the interior of the tank
and the interiors were lined with lead.
Professor Enrico Fermi was in
one of these sampling tanks, supervising the operation,
the scoops and 6Btained dirt for laboratory analysis,
sampling mission for Operation TRINITY.”
satisfied with the TRINITY test.
Crews lowered
This constituted
But the scientists were well
The bomb ", , , was as powerful as any
had dared hope and it was a practical weapon "10
2
APWALHO
SWEH~2~003),