Polonium in the Playhouse: The Manhattan Project's Secret Chemistry Work in Dayton, Ohio by Linda Carrick Thomas

Author:Linda Carrick Thomas [Thomas, Linda Carrick]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Ohio State University Press
Published: 2017-05-21T04:00:00+00:00

12.1. The lens-implosion model chosen for use in the plutonium bomb used explosive lenses and booster layers surrounding an initiator to convert a multiple-point detonation and trigger implosion shock waves. Thirty-two explosive blocks fit together in a pattern like a soccer ball. © Carey Sublette, “The Nuclear Weapons Archive,” nuclearweaponarchive.org.

The lenses, made by high-precision casting of explosive mixtures, were a crucial part of the explosive implosion system, which was made up of lens and booster layers. They surrounded the tamper and converted explosion waves into a convergent implosion.6 The layers consisted of 32 explosive blocks (20 hexagonal and 12 pentagonal blocks) that fit together in the same pattern as a soccer ball. Each lens block had two components: the body made of high velocity explosive, and a parabolic low velocity explosive focusing element on the inner surface. These pieces formed the lens that shaped a convex, expanding shock wave into a convex converging one.7

Lenses weren’t the only reason for the delay. All divisions were under pressure to meet the test deadline. In a June 30 review, division leaders reported that the earliest date their work would be complete was July 16. On July 5, Oppenheimer alerted Arthur Compton in Chicago and Ernest Lawrence in Berkeley to the test date: “Anytime after the 15th would be a good time for our fishing trip. Because we are not certain of the weather we may be delayed several days. As we do not have enough sleeping bags to go around, we ask you please not to bring any one with you.”8

Final preparations for the test, which included preparation of the plutonium core at the abandoned George McDonald ranch house some two miles from the test site, ultimately began on July 12. A Teletype from Arthur Compton in Chicago to Oppenheimer on July 13 continued the fishing analogy and referred to Fermi (code name Farmer): “Can you let Farmer or Sam have a chance at the trout in my place. Best luck to catch the big one. Regret Chicago situation makes advisable stay here next week.”9 As with much of the science of the Project, success was an unknown. Thirty-eight hours before the test, a trial of the lenses indicated that they did not work, “which created enormous emotional outbursts about mine and everybody else’s work,” recalled Kistiakowsky. Despite this delay, the test occurred on July 16.

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