Baker

E50513

Baker was the second of the 1946 Operation Crossroads nuclear tests at Bikini Atoll, notable as an underwater detonation used to study the effects of nuclear explosions on naval ships and equipment.


Statements (42)
Predicate Object
instanceOf nuclear test
underwater nuclear explosion
codename Test Baker
country United States
date 1946-07-25
detonationDepth approximately 27 meters underwater
approximately 90 feet underwater
deviceType plutonium implosion bomb
effectOnShips capsizing and sinking of nearby vessels
radioactive contamination preventing safe re-use
shock damage from underwater blast
followedBy Charlie
historicalSignificance demonstrated challenges of decontaminating irradiated ships
early Cold War nuclear weapons effects research
impact contributed data on underwater blast effects on naval architecture
influenced later nuclear test safety and decontamination procedures
location Bikini Atoll
Marshall Islands
medium underwater detonation
notableFor being the first nuclear test with an underwater detonation beneath a fleet of ships
producing extensive radioactive contamination of ships
operation conducted by the United States Army
conducted by the United States Navy
conducted under the authority of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff
partOf Operation Crossroads
precededBy Able
purpose to study effects of nuclear explosions on naval equipment
to study effects of nuclear explosions on naval ships
radiologicalConsequence hazardous working conditions for recovery crews
long-lasting contamination of target vessels
relatedProgram United States nuclear weapons testing program
result heavy radioactive fallout in the lagoon
severe damage to many target ships
sinking of multiple target vessels
sequenceInSeries second test of Operation Crossroads
targetFleetType assembled target fleet of naval vessels
testEnvironment lagoon of Bikini Atoll
testNumberInUSProgram among the first series of postwar U.S. nuclear tests
testSeries Operation Crossroads
testType weapons effects test
year 1946
yield approximately 23 kilotons of TNT

Referenced by (1)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Operation Crossroads
secondTestName

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