Re: Trinity Test in July 1945

rhino_redux@xxxxxxxx wrote:
I read an anecdote about the US nuclear test at the Trinity site in
July 1945 that has always made me uneasy. I'm posting today to get some
more details, if possible.

The story is that someone on the team, perhaps a chemist, had a sudden
thought a day or two before the test: he became concerned that igniting
the nuclear chain reaction would start the surrounding air burning and
that the burning oxygen would in be an unstoppable reaction that would
sooner or later consume all the atmosphere on Earth! This, of course,
would cause the death of all oxygen-breathing life on the planet.

Apparently, the person who had this thought was sufficiently
well-regarded that his concerns were not simply ignored or laughed off
and a group of scientists sat down to consider the question. They
eventually decided that the combustion of the atmosphere would not take
place and the Trinity test went ahead. The Earth's atmosphere, was, of
course, not consumed or none of us would be here today.

My question is: how sure were these scientists that the combustion of
the atmosphere would not take place? Was there unanimous and total
agreement that it absolutely, positively would not happen? Or was it
just felt by most of the most influential scientists that it was
unlikely and PROBABLY wouldn't happen?

I'm very curious to know whether the test went ahead despite some
competent scientists grave misgivings or whether there was no concern
at all that the whole atmosphere would be consumed by the test.

Also, did the military leadership like General Groves, the top brass at
the Pentagon or even President Truman get involved in deciding whether
this risk was substantial enough to warrant postponing the test?


Thank you all for your well-informed insights into this question.
Clearly, the account I saw was not very accurate as it described the
idea of this unstoppable atmospheric reaction as having been first
conceived very shortly before the Trinity test. (Or maybe I'm just
misremembering the wording: it was several years ago that I read that
anecdote.)

Frankly, I would have been very concerned if the people in charge had
just taken a "what the heck, the atmosphere probably won't ignite"
attitude and then simply crossed their fingers. I am delighted to hear
that such concerns were taken very seriously indeed and were
scrupulously investigated prior to authorizing the test.

--
Rhino

.

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