Chogy
PROFESSIONAL
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The key is SUBCRITICAL. They probably were testing a physics package without the fissile material, or with amounts that yield (nuclear yield) only grams of TNT.
Nuclear weapons aren't rifle cartridges... they can't sit on a shelf for decades and be expected to work. Periodically, a warhead is selected from stock, and with the physics package removed, the weapon is tested to ensure the implosion timing is perfect, and the HE used is stable and effective.
A lot of anger over nothing.
Our calculations suggest that on-site measurement of the integrated radiation output from these experiments should be adequate to verify that nuclear yields greater than grams of TNT equivalent had not occurred, even allowing for the possibility of substantial shielding.
Nuclear weapons aren't rifle cartridges... they can't sit on a shelf for decades and be expected to work. Periodically, a warhead is selected from stock, and with the physics package removed, the weapon is tested to ensure the implosion timing is perfect, and the HE used is stable and effective.
A lot of anger over nothing.