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4, KING Event .
In several respects, atmospheric changes produced by the detonation ofKING ‘were
more spectacular ‘than ‘those produced ‘by MIKE. _
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‘While surface ‘and lower level observations ‘indicated great ‘stability, :a'mare de‘tailed analysis of temperature. ‘humidity and wind data‘aloft showed the gseat susceptibility
ofthe KING ‘atmosphere ‘to'convection. ‘In‘fact.highe: energy release ‘through the ‘conden‘sation process ‘was ‘available during KING ‘than ‘MIKE. ibeing-on the order -of :28'x 106 ‘ergs
per-gram of ait "ising tothe level-of:zero ‘buoyancy.
‘bh. :Pre-shat-Weather. :Eniwetok Atoll
16 November'was ‘abnormallyicleat..:with:2/10'~:3/10°flat'comulus, typical ofa
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fresh-trade outbseak. ‘Visibttity:was quitethigh, pilot-sepo:ts‘indicated'no obstructions
‘to'visibility In:onydivection'fo::hund:eds -of miles. ‘ec. -KING ‘Detonation |
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KING was:‘dropped cn‘schedule. -and-detcnated ove: zero point (Runit Island)
-:af.app:oximately 1130:(M), 16-Novembes. :
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One ofthe -immediate:results of the:defonation ‘was ‘the rapid evapozarion of
cloud over a wide asea ‘at-least:seven miles ‘in‘:adius. This evaporation process was
produced ‘by thermal -sadsation ‘from the fireball -and:notiby psessuse changes ‘associated
‘with passuge of the:blast wave,
‘An:almost perfectly symmetrical tosus ‘sing formed ina short-time :ond:z0se
rapidly:to-the tropopause. “As in‘the'cose of MIKE. ‘the visual impression was that of:e
“splash’’, the canopy sp:ead sapidly.and, within about fifteen minutes, :was esiimated to
a
-be.chout thirtysfive miles :tn-diameter. ‘The p:edominaje cloud fo:m visible on the:bottom
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port ofthe canopy was mammoato-cumulus indicating extieme ru: bulence within the mush‘oom, ‘The bottom ofthe canopy :eventually lowezed as :the induced ci:culation continued
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‘until there was.a:ciius overcast.at.cbout 35.000 feet. Late: this cloud .deck continued
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to lower, producing viiga trails. degenesating slowly-as ét lowe:ed tnso alrocumulus ond
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4h it eck pets{sted throughout :the day.
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‘KING -was:a‘speéctaculo: produce: .of “home-made’’-wearhe:. Although:no sain
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altostratus. .and eventually-dissipated:by:late.afre:noon. The uppers past of the ciszus
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; showers were observed within.a.sadius of .at least one hund.ed miles of Eniwetok just
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priot to shot*. scafte:ed showe:s.were observed on the USS ESTES about ten minures
.after observation .and scatte:ed pseciptiation was obse:ved in all quad.ants (especially
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re * voz P2V..and ship observations
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to SE and SW) duting the :emainder.of the day.
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