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Name Date Location Type Purpose
Oxcart 1959 Nevada Test Site Nuclear explosive Investigate excavation efficiency as a function of yield and depth in planning for Project Chariot.
Oilsands 1959 Athabasca, Canada Nuclear explosive Study the feasibility of oil recovery using a nuclear explosive detonation in the Athabascan tar sands.
Oil Shale 1959 Not determined Nuclear explosive Study a nuclear detonation to shatter an oil shale formation to extract oil.
Ditchdigger 1961 Not determined Nuclear explosive A deeply buried clean nuclear explosive detonation excavation experiment
Coach 1963 Carlsbad, NM (GNOME site) Nuclear explosive Produce neutron-rich isotopes of known trans- plutonium elements.
Phaeton 1963 Not determined Nuclear explosive Scaling experiment.
Carryall Nov-63 Bristol Mountains Mojave Desert, CA Nuclear explosive Row-charge excavation experiment to cut through the Bristol Mountains for realignment of the Santa Fe railroad and a new highway I-40.
Dogsled 1964 Colorado Plateau CO or AZ Nuclear explosive Study cratering characteristics in dry sandstone; study ground shock and air blast intensities.
Tennessee/ Tombigee Waterway 1964 Northeast Mississippi Nuclear explosive Excavation of three miles of a divide cut through low hills; connect Tennessee and Tombigee rivers; dig 250-mile long canal.
Interoceanic Sea-Level Canal Study 1965-70 Pan-American Isthmus (Central America) Nuclear explosive Commission appointed in 1965 to conduct feasibility studies of several sea-level routes for an Atlantic- Pacific interoceanic canal. Two routes were in Panama and one in northwestern Colombia. The 1970 final report recommended, in part, that no current U.S. canal policy should be made on the basis that nuclear excavation technology will be available for canal construction. AEC deferred in making any decision.
Flivver Mar-66 Nevada Test Site Nuclear explosive A low-yield cratering detonation to study basic cratering phenomenology.
Dragon Trail Dec-66 Rio Blanco County, CO Nuclear explosive Natural gas stimulation experiment; different geological characteristics than either GASBUGGY or RULISON; geological study completed.
Ketch Aug-67 Renovo, PA (12 miles SW) Nuclear explosive Create a large chimney of broken rock with void space to store natural gas under high pressure.
Bronco Oct-67 Rio Blanco County, CO Nuclear explosive Break oil shale deposits for in situ retorting; exploratory core holes drilled.
Sloop 10/67-68 Stafford, AZ (11 miles NE) Nuclear explosive Fracturing copper ore; extract copper by in situ leaching methods; feasibility study completed.
Thunderbird 1967 Buffalo, WY (35 miles E) Nuclear explosive Coal gasification; fracture rock-containing coal and in situ combustion of the coal would produce low-Btu gas and other products.
Galley 1967-68 Not determined Nuclear explosive A high-yield row charge in hard rock under terrain of varying elevations.
Aquarius 1968-70 Clear Creek or San Simon, AZ Nuclear explosive Water resource management; dam construction, subsurface storage, purification; aquifer modification.
Wagon Wheel 01/68-74 Pinedale, WY (19 miles S) Nuclear explosive Natural gas stimulation; study stimulation at various depths; an exploratory hole and two hydrological wells were drilled.
Wasp 07/69-74 Pinedale, WY (24 miles NW) Nuclear explosive Natural gas stimulation; meteorological observations taken.
Utah 1969 near Ouray, UT Nuclear explosive Oil shale maturation; exploratory hole drilled.
Sturtevant 1969 Nevada Test Site Nuclear explosive Cratering experiment to extend excavation information on yields and rock types relevant to the trans-Isthmian canal.
Australian Harbor Project 1969 Cape Keraudren (NW coast of Australia) Nuclear explosive First discussed with U.S. officials in 1962, the U.S. formally agreed to participate in a joint feasibility study with the Australian government in early 1969 for using nuclear explosives to construct a harbor. The project was stopped in March 1969 when it was determined that there was an insufficient economic basis to proceed.
Yawl 1969-70 Nevada Test Site Nuclear explosive Cratering experiment to extend excavation information on yields and rock types relevant to the trans-Isthmian canal.
Geothermal Power Plant 1971 Not determined Nuclear explosive Geothermal resource experiment; fracturing would allow fluids circulated in fracture zones to be converted to steam to generate electricity.
Test name Date Location Type Depth of Burial Medium Yield Objective
Pre-Gnome February 10-16, 1959 Southeast of Carlsbad, New Mexico seismic experiment (High explosive) 1,200 ft (365.8 m), each Bedded salt 3.65 tons Three seismic experiments to measure ground shock for the planned GNOME nuclear test.
Toboggan November- December 1959 & April-June 1960 Nevada Test Site ditching experiment (High explosive, TNT) 3 to 20 ft (1 to 6.1 m) Playa (combination of silt and clay) Series of 122 detonations of both linear and point HE charges Study ditching characteristics of both-end detonated and multidetonated HE explosives in preparation for nuclear row charge experiments.
Hobo February- April 1960 Nevada Test Site seismic experiment (High explosive, TNT) Unkown Tuff Three explosions, varying from 500 to 1,000 lb. charges each To study rock fracturing and related phenomena produced by contained explosions.
Stagecoach March 1960 Nevada Test Site excavation experiment (High explosive, TNT) Shot 1 - 80 ft (24.4 m); Shot 2 - 17.1 ft (5.2 m); Shot 3 - 34.2 ft (10.4 m) Alluvium Three 40,000 lb. charges Examine blast, seismic effects and throw out characteristics in preparation for nuclear cratering experiments.
Plowboy March-July 1960 Winnfield, Louisiana experiment Unkown Unkown Unkown Mining operation to examine high explosive- induced fracturing of salt.
Buckboard July-September 1960 Nevada Test Site excavation experiment (High explosive, TNT) 5 to 59.85 ft (1.5 to 18.24 m) Basalt Three 40,000 lb. charges and ten 1,000 lb. charges Establish depth of burst curves for underground explosives in a hard rock medium.
Pinot August 2, 1960 Rifle, Colorado tracer experiment (High explosive, nitromethane) 610 ft (185.9 m) Oil shale Unkown To determine how gases in a confined underground explosion migrate.
Scooter October 1960 Nevada Test Site excavation experiment (High explosive, TNT) 125 ft (38.1 m) Alluvium 500 ton charges To study crater dimension, throw out material distribution, ground motion, dust cloud growth, and long-range air blast.
Rowboat June 1961 Nevada Test Site row-charge experiment (High explosive, TNT) Varied Alluvium 8 detonations of series of four 278 lb. charges To study the effects of depth of burial and charge separation on crater dimensions.
Yo-Yo Summer 1961 At LRL, near Tracy, California simulated excavation experiment (High explosive) Varied Oil-sand mixture 100 gm charges To develop estimates for the quantities of radiation released to the atmosphere by a cratering detonation.
Pre-Buggy I November 1962- February 1963 Nevada Test Site row-charge experiment (High explosive, nitromethane) 15 to 21.4 ft (4.57 to 6.52 m) for single-charge detonations; all row-charge detonations at 19.8 ft (6.04 m) Alluvium Six single-charge detonations, four multiple-charge U.S. Army Engineer Cratering Group Study of row- charge phenomenology and effects in preparation for nuclear row-charge tests.
Pre-Buggy II June-August 1963 Nevada Test Site row-charge experiment (High explosive, nitromethane) 18.5 to 23 ft (5.64 to 7.0 m) Alluvium Five rows of five 1,000 lb. charges U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study of row-charge phenomenology and effects in preparation for a nuclear row- charge experiment.
Pre-Schooner I February 1964 Nevada Test Site cratering experiment (High explosive, nitromethane) 42 to 66 ft (18.3 to 20.1 m) Basalt Four 40,000 lb. spherical charges U.S. Army Engineer Nuclear Cratering Group study of basic cratering phenomenology in preparation for nuclear cratering experiments.
Dugout June 24, 1964 Nevada Test Site row charge experiment (High explosive, nitromethane) 59 ft (18.0 m) Basalt simultaneous detonation of a row of five 20 ton charges placed 45 feet (13.7 m) apart (1 crater radius) Study fundamental processes involved in row charge excavating dense, hard rock.
Pre-Schooner II September 30, 1965 Owyhee County, southwestern Idaho cratering experiment (high explosive, nitromethane) 71 ft (21.6 m) Rhyolite 85 ton charge Obtain data for proposed Schooner nuclear cratering test, particularly cavity growth, seismic effects, and air blast.
Pre-Gondola I, II, III October 1966 - October 1969 Near Fort Peck Reservoir, Valley County, Montana excavation experiments (High explosive, nitromethane) Varied Saturated Bearclaw shale Pre-Gondola I, four 20-ton charges; Pre-Gondola II, row of five charges totaling 140 tons; Pre-Gondola III, Phase I, three rows of seven one-ton charges; Phase II, one row of seven 30- ton charges; Phase III, one row of five charges varying from five to 35 tons and totaling 70 tons U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project to provide seismic calibration test data and cratering characteristics for excavation projects.
Tugboat November 1969- December 1970 Kawaihae Bay, Hawaii excavation experiment (High explosive, TNT) 4-8 ft (1.2-2.4 m) Water Unkown To study excavation of a small boat harbor in a weak coral medium.
Trinidad July-December 1970 Trinidad, Colorado (six miles west) excavation experiment (High explosive) Unkown Sandstone/shale Unkown Four series of row-charge detonations to study excavation designs.
Old Reliable August 1971- March 1972 Galiuro Mountains, 44 miles northeast Tucson, Arizona fracturing experiment (High explosive, ammonium nitrate) Unkown Unkown 2,002 tons To promote fracturing and in situ leaching of copper ore.
Plowshare nuclear tests
Test name Date Location Type Depth of Burial Medium Yield (kilotons) Test series Objective
Gnome 10 December 1961 Carlsbad, New Mexico Shaft 1,185 ft (361 m) Salt 3 Nougat A multipurpose experiment designed to provide data concerning: (1) heat generated from a nuclear explosion; (2) isotopes production; (3) neutron physics; (4) seismic measurements in a salt medium; and (5) design data for developing nuclear devices specifically for peaceful uses.
Sedan 6 July 1962 Nevada Test Site Crater 635 ft (194 m) Alluvium 104Storax A excavation experiment in alluvium to determine feasibility of using nuclear explosions for large excavation projects, such as harbors and canals; provide data on crater size, radiological safety, seismic effects, and air blast.
Anacostia 27 November 1962 Nevada Test Site Shaft 747 ft (227.7 m) Tuff 5.2 Storax A device-development experiment to produce heavy elements and provide radiochemical analysis data for the planned Coach Project.
Kaweah 21 February 1963 Nevada Test Site Shaft 745 ft (227.1 m) Alluvium 3 Dominic I and II A device-development experiment to produce heavy elements and provide technical data for the planned Coach Project.
Tornillo 11 October 1963 Nevada Test Site Shaft 489 ft (149 m) Alluvium 0.38 Niblick A device-development experiment to produce a clean nuclear explosive for excavation applications.
Klickitat 20 February 1964 Nevada Test Site Shaft 1,616 ft (492.6 m) Tuff 70 Niblick A device-development experiment to produce an improved nuclear explosive for excavation applications.
Ace 11 June 1964 Nevada Test Site Shaft 862 ft (262.7 m) Alluvium 3 Niblick A device-development experiment to produce an improved nuclear explosive for excavation applications.
Dub 30 June 1964 Nevada Test Site Shaft 848 ft (258.5 m) Alluvium 11.7 Niblick A device-development experiment to study emplacement techniques.
Par 9 October 1964 Nevada Test Site Shaft 1,325 ft (403.9 m) Alluvium 38 Whetstone A device-development experiment designed to increase the neutron flux needed for the creation of heavy elements.
Handcar 5 November 1964 Nevada Test Site Shaft 1,332 ft (406 m) Dolomite (carbonate rock) 12 Whetstone An emplacement experiment to study the effects of nuclear explosions in carbonate rock.
Sulky 5 November 1964 Nevada Test Site Shaft 90 ft (27.4 m) Basalt 0.9 Whetstone An excavation experiment to explore cratering mechanics in hard, dry rock and study dispersion patterns of airborne radionuclides released under these conditions.
Palanquin 14 April 1965 Nevada Test Site Crater 280 ft (85.3 m) Rhyolite 4.3 Whetstone An excavation experiment in hard, dry rock to study dispersion patterns of airborne radionuclides released under these conditions.
Templar 24 March 1966 Nevada Test Site Shaft 495 ft (150.9 m) Tuff 0.37 Flintlock To develop an improved nuclear explosive for excavation applications.
Vulcan 25 June 1966 Nevada Test Site Shaft 1,057 ft (322.2 m) Alluvium 25 Flintlock A heavy element device-development test to evaluate neutron flux performance.
Saxon 11 July 1966 Nevada Test Site 1.2 kt 502 ft (153 m) Tuff 1.2 Latchkey A device-development experiment to improve nuclear explosives for excavation applications.
Simms 6 November 1966 Nevada Test Site Shaft 650 ft (198.1 m) Alluvium 2.3 Latchkey A device-development experiment to evaluate clean nuclear explosives for excavation applications.
Switch 22 June 1967 Nevada Test Site Shaft 990 ft (301.8 m) Tuff 3.1 Latchkey A device-development experiment to evaluate clean nuclear explosives for excavation applications.
Marvel 21 September 1967 Nevada Test Site Shaft 572 ft (174.3 m) Alluvium 2.2 Crosstie An emplacement experiment to investigate underground phenomenology related to emplacement techniques.
Gasbuggy 10 December 1967 Farmington, New Mexico Shaft 4,240 ft (1,292 m) Sandstone, gas bearing formation 29 Crosstie A gas stimulation experiment to investigate the feasibility of using nuclear explosives to stimulate a low-permeability gas field; first Plowshare joint government-industry nuclear experiment to evaluate an industrial application.
Cabriolet 26 January 1968 Nevada Test Site Crater 170 ft (51.8 m) Rhyolite 2.3 Crosstie An excavation experiment to explore cratering mechanics in hard, dry rock and study dispersion patterns of airborne radionuclides released under these conditions.
Buggy 12 March 1968 Nevada Test Site Crater 135 ft (41.1 m) Basalt 5 at 1.1 each Crosstie A five-detonation excavation experiment to study the effects and phenomenology of nuclear row-charge excavation detonations.
Stoddard 17 September 1968 Nevada Test Site Shaft 1,535 ft (467.9 m) Tuff 31 Bowline A device-development experiment to develop clean nuclear explosives for excavation applications.
Schooner 8 December 1968 Nevada Test Site Crater 365 ft (111.3 m) Tuff 30 Bowline An excavation experiment to study the effects and phenomenology of cratering detonations in hard rock.
Rulison 10 September 1969 Grand Valley, Colorado Shaft 8,425 ft (2,567.9 m) Sandstone 43 Mandrel A gas stimulation experiment to investigate the feasibility of using nuclear explosives to stimulate a low-permeability gas field; provide engineering data on the use of nuclear explosions for gas stimulation; on changes in gas production and recovery rates; and on techniques to reduce the radioactive contamination to the gas.
Flask -Green, -Yellow, -Red 26 May 1970 Nevada Test Site Shaft Green, 1736 ft (529.2 m); Yellow, 1,099 ft (335 m); Red, 499 ft (152.1 m) Green, Tuff; Yellow and Red, Alluvium Green, 105; Yellow, 0.9; Red, 0.4 tons Mandrel A three-detonation device development experiment to develop improved nuclear explosives for excavation applications.
Miniata 8 July 1971 Nevada Test Site Shaft 1,735 ft (528.8 m) Tuff 83 Grommet To develop a clean nuclear explosive for excavation applications.
Rio Blanco  -1, -2, -3 17 May 1973 Rifle, Colorado Shaft 5,840 ft (1,780 m); 6,230 ft (1,898.9 m); 6,690 ft (2,039.1 m) Sandstone, gas-bearing formation 3 at 33 each Toggle A gas stimulation experiment to investigate the feasibility of using nuclear explosives to stimulate a low-permeability gas field; develop technology for recovering natural gas from reservoirs with very low permeability.