1971–74 French nuclear tests

List of nuclear weapons tests of France 1971–1974 Rhéa, 955 kt France Colette zone, Moruroa Atoll; Denise zone, Moruroa Atoll; Dindon zone, Moruroa Atoll; Muroroa Atoll, Pacific Test Area (CEP) 1971–1974 24 air drop, balloon, dry surface 955 ktTNT in 1966–70 French nuclear tests 1975–78 French nuclear tests 1971–74 French nuclear tests France carried out a series of 24 nuclear tests from 1971 to 1974 These tests followed the 1966–1970 French nuclear tests series and preceded the 1975–1978 French nuclear tests. + France's 1971–1974 series tests and detonations Name The US, France and Great Britain codenamed their test events, while the USSR and China did not, and therefore have only test numbers (with some exceptions – Soviet peaceful explosions were named). Word translations into English in parentheses unless the name is a proper noun. A dash followed by a number indicates a member of a salvo event. The US also sometimes named the individual explosions in such a salvo test, which results in "name1 – 1(with name2)". If test is canceled or aborted, then the row data like date and location discloses the intended plans, where known. Date time (UT) Local time zoneTo convert the UT time into standard local, add the number of hours in parentheses to the UT time; for local daylight saving time, add one additional hour. If the result is earlier than 00:00, add 24 hours and subtract 1 from the day; if it is 24:00 or later, subtract 24 hours and add 1 to the day.Time Zone Historical Database iana.com http://www.ietf.org/timezones/ March 8, 2014 LocationRough place name and a latitude/longitude reference; for rocket-carried tests, the launch location is specified before the detonation location, if known. Some locations are extremely accurate; others (like airdrops and space blasts) may be quite inaccurate. "~" indicates a likely pro-forma rough location, shared with other tests in that same area. Elevation + height Elevation is the ground level at the point directly below the explosion relative to sea level; height is the additional distance added or subtracted by tower, balloon, shaft, tunnel, air drop or other contrivance. For rocket bursts the ground level is "N/A". In some cases it is not clear if the height is absolute or relative to ground, for example, Plumbbob/John. No number or units indicates the value is unknown, while "0" means zero. Sorting on this column is by elevation and height added together. Delivery,Atmospheric, airdrop, balloon, gun, cruise missile, rocket, surface, tower, and barge are all disallowed by the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Sealed shaft and tunnel are underground, and remained useful under the PTBT. Intentional cratering tests are borderline; they occurred under the treaty, were sometimes protested, and generally overlooked if the test was declared to be a peaceful use.Purpose Include weapons development, weapon effects, safety test, transport safety test, war, science, joint verification and industrial/peaceful, which may be further broken down. DeviceDesignations for test items where known, "?" indicates some uncertainty about the preceding value, nicknames for particular devices in quotes. This category of information is often not officially disclosed. YieldEstimated energy yield in tons, kilotons, and megatons. A ton of TNT equivalent is defined as 4.184 gigajoules (1 gigacalorie). FalloutRadioactive emission to the atmosphere aside from prompt neutrons, where known. The measured species is only iodine-131 if mentioned, otherwise it is all species. No entry means unknown, probably none if underground and "all" if not; otherwise notation for whether measured on the site only or off the site, where known, and the measured amount of radioactivity released. References Notes DionéDioné dmy 1971 6 5 19:15:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Denise zone, Moruroa Atoll: Denise ~ -21.83 -138.88 Dioné inline 0002805 m on + 275 m on balloon,weapons development AN-51 000340000 34 kt EnceladeEncelade dmy 1971 6 12 19:14:57.3 TAHT (–10 hrs) Dindon zone, Moruroa Atoll: Dindon -21.80316 -138.91391 Encelade inline 0004555 m on + 450 m on balloon,weapons development MR-41 004400000 440 kt Induced fallout over Tureia. JapetJapet dmy 1971 7 4 21:30:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Denise zone, Moruroa Atoll: Denise ~ -21.83 -138.88 Japet inline 0002355 m on + 230 m on balloon,weapons development TN-60 000090000 9 kt PhoebéPhoebé dmy 1971 8 8 18:30:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Denise zone, Moruroa Atoll: Denise ~ -21.83 -138.88 Phoebé inline 0002355 m on + 230 m on balloon,weapons development TN-60 000040000 4 kt RhéaRhéa dmy 1971 8 14 19:00:00.8 TAHT (–10 hrs) Dindon zone, Moruroa Atoll: Dindon -21.874726 -139.006115 Rhéa inline 0004855 m on + 480 m on balloon,weapons development TN-60 009550000 955 kt UmbrielUmbriel dmy 1972 6 25 19:00:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Denise zone, Moruroa Atoll: Denise ~ -21.83 -138.88 Umbriel inline 0002355 m on + 230 m on balloon,weapons development TN-60 000005000 500 t TitaniaTitania dmy 1972 6 30 18:30:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Dindon zone, Moruroa Atoll: Dindon ~ -21.83 -138.88 Titania inline 0002255 m on + 220 m on balloon,weapons development TN-60 000040000 4 kt ObéronObéron dmy 1972 7 27 18:40:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Dindon zone, Moruroa Atoll: Dindon ~ -21.83 -138.88 Obéron inline 0002255 m on + 220 m on balloon,weapons development TN-60 000060000 6 kt ArielAriel dmy 1972 7 31 22:30:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Colette zone, Moruroa Atoll: Colette ~ -21.78131 -138.90472 Ariel inline 0000155 m on + 10 m on dry surface,safety experiment TN-60 ? 000000010 1000 kg SomeMay 2020 report that this was a safety experiment. EuterpeEuterpe dmy 1973 7 21 18:00:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Dindon zone, Moruroa Atoll: Dindon ~ -21.83 -138.88 Euterpe inline 0002255 m on + 220 m on balloon,weapons development TN-60 000110000 11 kt MelpomèneMelpomène dmy 1973 7 28 23:06:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Denise zone, Moruroa Atoll: Denise ~ -21.83 -138.88 Melpomène inline 0002755 m on + 270 m on balloon,weapons development TN-60 ? 000000500 50 t PallasPallas dmy 1973 8 18 18:15:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Denise zone, Moruroa Atoll: Denise ~ -21.83 -138.88 Pallas inline 0002755 m on + 270 m on balloon,weapons development TN-60 ? 000040000 4 kt ParthénopeParthénope dmy 1973 8 24 18:00:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Dindon zone, Moruroa Atoll: Dindon ~ -21.83 -138.88 Parthénope inline 0002255 m on + 220 m on balloon,weapons development TN-60 ? 000002000 200 t TamaraTamara dmy 1973 8 28 18:30:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Muroroa Atoll, Pacific Test Area (CEP): 26 km W -21.88862 -139.277 Tamara inline 0002555 m on + 250 m on air drop,weapons development AN-52 000066000 6.6 kt Dropped by a Mirage 3 jet (Mirage III E sn 617). VestaVesta dmy 1973 9 13 15:42:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Colette zone, Moruroa Atoll: Colette ~ -21.78122 -138.90476 Vesta inline 0000040.1 m on + 4 m on dry surface,safety experiment 000000000 no yield CapricorneCapricorne dmy 1974 6 16 17:30:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Dindon zone, Moruroa Atoll: Dindon ~ -21.83 -138.88 Capricorne inline 0002255 m on + 220 m on balloon,weapons development TN-70 ? 000040000 4 kt BélierBélier dmy 1974 7 1 17:30:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Colette zone, Moruroa Atoll: Colette ~ -21.78126 -138.90472 Bélier inline 0000050.6 m on + 5 m on dry surface,safety experiment 000000000 no yield GémeauxGémeaux dmy 1974 7 7 23:15:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Dindon zone, Moruroa Atoll: Dindon ~ -21.83 -138.88 Gémeaux inline 0003175 m on + 312 m on balloon,weapons development TN-70 ? 001500000 150 kt CentaureCentaure dmy 1974 7 17 17:00:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Denise zone, Moruroa Atoll: Denise ~ -21.83 -138.88 Centaure inline 0002755 m on + 270 m on balloon,weapons development TN-80 ? 000040000 4 kt MaquisMaquis dmy 1974 7 25 17:30:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Muroroa Atoll, Pacific Test Area (CEP): 17 km WSW -21.95429 -139.17013 Maquis inline 0002555 m on + 250 m on air drop,weapons development AN-52 000080000 8 kt Dropped by a Jaguar A jet (Jaguar A sn 17). PerséePersée dmy 1974 7 28 17:30:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Colette zone, Moruroa Atoll: Colette ~ -21.78122 -138.90474 Persée inline 0000050.6 m on + 5 m on dry surface,safety experiment 000000010 1000 kg Some report that this was a safety experiment. ScorpionScorpion dmy 1974 8 14 00:30:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Dindon zone, Moruroa Atoll: Dindon ~ -21.83 -138.88 Scorpion inline 0003175 m on + 312 m on balloon,weapons development 000960000 96 kt TaureauTaureau dmy 1974 8 24 23:45:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Denise zone, Moruroa Atoll: Denise ~ -21.83 -138.88 Taureau inline 0002755 m on + 270 m on balloon,weapons development 000140000 14 kt VerseauVerseau dmy 1974 9 14 23:30:?? TAHT (–10 hrs) Dindon zone, Moruroa Atoll: Dindon -21.871 -139.01 Verseau inline 0004385 m on + 433 m on balloon,weapons development TN-60 ? 003320000 332 kt Last French atmospheric nuclear test. France moved on with underground tests at the Pacific Experiment Centre. Notes note References Norris Robert S. Andrew S. Burrows Richard W. Fieldhouse 1994 Nuclear Weapons Databook, Vol. 5: British, French, and Chinese Nuclear Weapons Westview Press Boulder, CO International Atomic Energy Agency 1998 The Radiological Situation at the Atolls of Mururoa and Fangataufa, Main Report Vienna, Austria http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1028_web.pdf December 19, 2013 March 1, 2007 La Dimension Radiologique des Essais Nucleaires Francais en Polynesie Ministry of Defense http://www-dam.cea.fr/dossiers/Mururoa/img/La_dimension_radiologique_des_essais_nucleaires_francais_en_Polynesie.pdf December 19, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20170909065129/http://www-dam.cea.fr/dossiers/Mururoa/img/La_dimension_radiologique_des_essais_nucleaires_francais_en_Polynesie.pdf 2017-09-09 dead Yang Xiaoping Robert North Carl Romney August 2000 CMR Nuclear Explosion Database (Revision 3) SMDC Monitoring Research Capcom Espace 2005 Les essais nucleaire Francaispublisher=Capcom Espace http://www.capcomespace.net/dossiers/espace_europeen/albion/essais_nucleaire_francais_listing.htm December 20, 2013 Further reading Beech Hannah Ferguson Adam 2024-07-30 Olympic Surfing Comes to a 'Poisoned' Paradise https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/30/world/olympics/olympics-tahiti-nuclear-testing.html 2024-08-12 The New York Times en-US subscription Category:French nuclear weapons testing Category:1971 in France Category:1972 in France Category:1973 in France Category:1974 in France Category:1971 in the French colonial empire Category:1972 in the French colonial empire Category:1973 in the French colonial empire Category:1974 in the French colonial empire