206:
29:
311:
318:
One particular image of the Castle Romeo mushroom cloud has been one of the most highly reprinted images of a nuclear explosion. It often serves as a stand-in for nuclear weapons in general for news stories, book covers, magazine articles, etc., likely because of its threatening appearance and
319:
extreme red, orange, and yellow hues. The fact that the explosion is of a U.S. megaton-range weapon has not prevented it from being used to represent the arsenals of other states or weapons of far lower yields in many cases, which would have a very different appearance.
287:
with a range of 1.5 to 7 megatons (before the results of the Bravo test caused an upgrade in the estimates, it had originally been estimated to produce 3–5 megatons), it actually produced a yield of 11 megatons, the third-largest test ever conducted by the U.S.
177:
The tested design became the first air-droppable thermonuclear device, initially the "emergency capability" EC-17, of which only five were made. The first deployable staged radiation implosion
363:. The two nuclear blasts looked very similar, and they were both conducted in the same location, but much of Bravo's photographic record was destroyed because of its unexpectedly high yield.
489:
271:) as the source of the tritium and deuterium fusion fuels, as opposed to the relative high enrichment level of lithium (approximately 40% lithium-6) deuteride used in Bravo.
169:
test. It was the first such barge-based test, a necessity that had come about because the powerful thermonuclear devices obliterated the small islands following detonation.
1249:
482:
185:, of which 200 were made. Both of those were huge devices, weighing 39,000 pounds (18 t) and 42,000 pounds (19 t) respectively. As a result, only the
1137:
475:
283:— an unexpected participation of the common lithium-7 isotope in fusion reactions. Although it had been predicted to produce a yield of 4
438:
197:— the EC-17 producing around 10 megatonnes (Mt), and the Mk 17 between 11 and 15 Mt. They were all out of service by August 1957.
498:
1187:
1229:
1142:
1244:
1254:
230:
1181:
1106:
1162:
748:
634:
1234:
1239:
332:
1203:
299:
1100:
1004:
513:
903:
896:
734:
948:
805:
405:
1224:
555:
189:
was capable of carrying that first generation of thermonuclear bombs. They were also some of the largest
467:
94:
943:
789:
1147:
826:
1152:
1073:
889:
336:. The image of Castle Romeo was also used on the cover of the New York hardcore music pioneers
291:
Like the Ivy Mike and Castle Bravo tests, a large percentage of the yield was produced by fast
1132:
706:
576:
194:
386:
882:
783:
690:
655:
590:
569:
190:
182:
151:
148:
8:
910:
868:
833:
662:
392:
430:
1057:
994:
776:
727:
683:
648:
627:
597:
520:
342:
280:
1157:
854:
840:
819:
769:
755:
741:
669:
641:
604:
583:
548:
541:
323:
1036:
969:
953:
917:
875:
861:
847:
812:
762:
562:
424:
411:
398:
352:
256:
test, it differed from that device in using lithium deuteride derived from natural
162:
140:
55:
1168:
1112:
1078:
1052:
720:
620:
534:
527:
292:
226:
144:
279:
Like the Bravo test, it produced far more than its predicted yield, and for the
974:
799:
611:
284:
222:
205:
105:
418:
1218:
1127:
999:
713:
697:
453:
440:
1198:
1193:
1175:
1122:
984:
360:
253:
186:
166:
158:
120:
65:
1117:
1020:
979:
178:
125:
497:
989:
794:
265:
261:
238:
234:
675:
337:
327:
242:
296:
268:
257:
28:
347:
310:
387:
List of all tested U.S. weapons at The
Nuclear Weapon Archive
359:
The Castle Romeo photos are sometimes confused with that of
165:, on a barge moored in the middle of the crater from the
16:
Codename for one of the first thermonuclear bomb tests
1138:
Unethical human experimentation in the United States
499:
Nuclear weapons tests conducted by the United States
139:was the code name given to one of the tests in the
1250:1954 in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
423:is available for free viewing and download at the
410:is available for free viewing and download at the
397:is available for free viewing and download at the
302:; 7 megatons of the yield were from this source.
1216:
407:Military Effects Studies Operation Castle (1954)
314:Iconic image of the Castle Romeo mushroom cloud
305:
483:
346:. It is also featured on the title screen of
420:Nuclear Test Film - Operation Castle (1954)
322:One prominent usage is as the backdrop for
490:
476:
27:
1188:Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie
394:Operation Castle Commanders Report (1954)
374:U. S. Nuclear Weapons: The Secret History
154:, the first deployed thermonuclear bomb.
309:
204:
1143:International Day against Nuclear Tests
157:It was detonated on March 26, 1954, at
1217:
181:thermonuclear weapon evolved into the
471:
1182:Reactor-grade plutonium nuclear test
1107:Fallout: An American Nuclear Tragedy
1163:Radiation Exposure Compensation Act
13:
252:TX-21 device tested before in the
221:TX-15 device was a weaponized dry
14:
1266:
380:
333:Greatest Hits: Back to the Start
1230:Nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll
1204:Nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll
229:fuel for the fusion stage of a
147:. It was the first test of the
1101:National Atomic Testing Museum
1005:Nevada Test and Training Range
1:
1245:1950s in the Marshall Islands
366:
350:'s turn-based artillery game
330:'s greatest hits compilation
172:
1255:March 1954 events in Oceania
7:
306:Fireball in popular culture
33:Castle Romeo mushroom cloud
10:
1271:
376:(Arlington: AeroFax, 1988)
1091:
1066:
1045:
1029:
1013:
962:
936:
927:
505:
200:
116:
111:
100:
90:
71:
61:
51:
43:
38:
26:
21:
1235:1954 in military history
1148:Nevada Desert Experience
274:
241:of the first-generation
1240:1954 in the environment
1153:Nuclear weapons testing
1074:Pacific Proving Grounds
954:Carson National Forest
454:11.69722°N 165.27194°E
315:
214:
1133:Desert Rock exercises
313:
208:
195:Strategic Air Command
260:(a mixture of 7.5%
193:devices deployed by
152:thermonuclear weapon
459:11.69722; 165.27194
450: /
75:March 26, 1954
1225:Explosions in 1954
1000:Sand Springs Range
343:The Age of Quarrel
316:
231:staged fusion bomb
215:
1212:
1211:
1158:Project Plowshare
1087:
1086:
227:lithium deuteride
134:
133:
1262:
970:Nevada Test Site
934:
933:
492:
485:
478:
469:
468:
465:
464:
462:
461:
460:
455:
451:
448:
447:
446:
443:
431:Operation Castle
425:Internet Archive
412:Internet Archive
399:Internet Archive
353:Worms Armageddon
163:Marshall Islands
141:Operation Castle
86:
84:
79:
56:Operation Castle
31:
19:
18:
1270:
1269:
1265:
1264:
1263:
1261:
1260:
1259:
1215:
1214:
1213:
1208:
1169:The Atomic Cafe
1113:Alvin C. Graves
1093:
1083:
1062:
1041:
1025:
1009:
958:
929:
923:
904:Upshot–Knothole
897:Tumbler–Snapper
501:
496:
458:
456:
452:
449:
444:
441:
439:
437:
436:
417:The short film
404:The short film
391:The short film
383:
369:
308:
295:of the natural
277:
248:Similar to the
245:fusion device.
203:
175:
143:series of U.S.
130:
129:
123:
112:Test chronology
82:
80:
77:
76:
34:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1268:
1258:
1257:
1252:
1247:
1242:
1237:
1232:
1227:
1210:
1209:
1207:
1206:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1184:
1179:
1172:
1165:
1160:
1155:
1150:
1145:
1140:
1135:
1130:
1125:
1120:
1115:
1110:
1103:
1097:
1095:
1089:
1088:
1085:
1084:
1082:
1081:
1079:South Atlantic
1076:
1070:
1068:
1064:
1063:
1061:
1060:
1055:
1049:
1047:
1043:
1042:
1040:
1039:
1033:
1031:
1027:
1026:
1024:
1023:
1017:
1015:
1011:
1010:
1008:
1007:
1002:
997:
995:Central Nevada
992:
987:
982:
977:
975:Frenchman Flat
972:
966:
964:
960:
959:
957:
956:
951:
946:
940:
938:
931:
925:
924:
922:
921:
914:
907:
900:
893:
886:
879:
872:
865:
858:
851:
844:
837:
830:
827:Roller Coaster
823:
816:
809:
802:
800:Project 58/58A
797:
792:
787:
780:
773:
766:
759:
752:
745:
738:
731:
724:
717:
710:
703:
702:
701:
687:
680:
679:
678:
666:
659:
652:
645:
638:
631:
624:
617:
616:
615:
612:Starfish Prime
601:
594:
587:
580:
573:
566:
559:
552:
545:
538:
531:
524:
517:
509:
507:
503:
502:
495:
494:
487:
480:
472:
434:
433:
428:
415:
402:
389:
382:
381:External links
379:
378:
377:
372:Chuck Hansen,
368:
365:
307:
304:
276:
273:
202:
199:
174:
171:
132:
131:
124:
118:
117:
114:
113:
109:
108:
102:
98:
97:
92:
88:
87:
78:(70 years ago)
73:
69:
68:
63:
59:
58:
53:
49:
48:
45:
41:
40:
36:
35:
32:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1267:
1256:
1253:
1251:
1248:
1246:
1243:
1241:
1238:
1236:
1233:
1231:
1228:
1226:
1223:
1222:
1220:
1205:
1202:
1200:
1197:
1195:
1192:
1190:
1189:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1177:
1173:
1171:
1170:
1166:
1164:
1161:
1159:
1156:
1154:
1151:
1149:
1146:
1144:
1141:
1139:
1136:
1134:
1131:
1129:
1128:Corbin Harney
1126:
1124:
1121:
1119:
1116:
1114:
1111:
1109:
1108:
1104:
1102:
1099:
1098:
1096:
1090:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1071:
1069:
1065:
1059:
1056:
1054:
1051:
1050:
1048:
1044:
1038:
1035:
1034:
1032:
1028:
1022:
1019:
1018:
1016:
1012:
1006:
1003:
1001:
998:
996:
993:
991:
988:
986:
983:
981:
978:
976:
973:
971:
968:
967:
965:
961:
955:
952:
950:
947:
945:
942:
941:
939:
935:
932:
926:
919:
915:
912:
908:
905:
901:
898:
894:
891:
887:
884:
880:
877:
873:
870:
866:
863:
859:
856:
852:
849:
845:
842:
838:
835:
831:
828:
824:
821:
817:
814:
810:
807:
803:
801:
798:
796:
793:
791:
788:
785:
781:
778:
774:
771:
767:
764:
760:
757:
753:
750:
746:
743:
739:
736:
735:Little Feller
732:
729:
725:
722:
718:
715:
711:
708:
704:
699:
698:Hardtack Teak
695:
694:
692:
688:
685:
681:
677:
674:
673:
671:
667:
664:
660:
657:
653:
650:
646:
643:
639:
636:
632:
629:
625:
622:
618:
613:
609:
608:
606:
602:
599:
595:
592:
588:
585:
581:
578:
574:
571:
567:
564:
560:
557:
556:Buster–Jangle
553:
550:
546:
543:
539:
536:
532:
529:
525:
522:
518:
515:
511:
510:
508:
504:
500:
493:
488:
486:
481:
479:
474:
473:
470:
466:
463:
432:
429:
426:
422:
421:
416:
413:
409:
408:
403:
400:
396:
395:
390:
388:
385:
384:
375:
371:
370:
364:
362:
357:
355:
354:
349:
345:
344:
339:
335:
334:
329:
325:
320:
312:
303:
301:
298:
294:
289:
286:
282:
272:
270:
267:
263:
259:
255:
251:
246:
244:
240:
236:
233:, unlike the
232:
228:
224:
220:
212:
207:
198:
196:
192:
188:
184:
180:
170:
168:
164:
160:
155:
153:
150:
146:
145:nuclear tests
142:
138:
128: →
127:
122:
119:←
115:
110:
107:
103:
99:
96:
93:
89:
74:
70:
67:
64:
60:
57:
54:
50:
47:United States
46:
42:
37:
30:
25:
20:
1199:Louis Vitale
1194:Vela Uniform
1186:
1176:Radio Bikini
1174:
1167:
1123:Chuck Hansen
1105:
985:Rainier Mesa
435:
419:
406:
393:
373:
361:Castle Bravo
358:
351:
341:
340:debut album
331:
321:
317:
290:
278:
254:Castle Bravo
249:
247:
225:bomb, using
218:
216:
210:
176:
167:Castle Bravo
159:Bikini Atoll
156:
137:Castle Romeo
136:
135:
121:Castle Bravo
66:Bikini Atoll
22:Castle Romeo
1118:Reed Hadley
1021:Salmon Site
1014:Mississippi
980:Pahute Mesa
806:Quicksilver
707:Hardtack II
577:Cornerstone
457: /
445:165°16′19″E
324:heavy metal
281:same reason
179:Teller-Ulam
126:Castle Koon
95:Atmospheric
52:Test series
39:Information
1219:Categories
990:Yucca Flat
944:Alamogordo
937:New Mexico
883:Touchstone
795:Project 57
790:Project 56
784:Praetorian
691:Hardtack I
656:Greenhouse
591:Crossroads
570:Charioteer
506:Operations
442:11°41′50″N
367:References
264:and 92.5%
173:Deployment
83:1954-03-26
1053:Parachute
911:Whetstone
869:Tinderbox
834:Sandstone
749:Musketeer
663:Grenadier
635:Flintlock
266:lithium-7
262:lithium-6
239:deuterium
235:cryogenic
91:Test type
62:Test site
1046:Colorado
1037:Amchitka
949:Carlsbad
777:Plumbbob
728:Latchkey
684:Guardian
676:Cannikin
649:Fusileer
628:Fishbowl
598:Crosstie
521:Aqueduct
338:Cro-Mags
328:Megadeth
300:"tamper"
285:megatons
269:isotopes
243:Ivy Mike
104:11
1092:Related
890:Trinity
855:Sunbeam
841:Sculpin
820:Redwing
770:Phalanx
756:Niblick
742:Mandrel
670:Grommet
642:Fulcrum
605:Dominic
584:Cresset
549:Bowline
542:Bedrock
297:uranium
293:fission
258:lithium
237:liquid
183:Mark 17
161:of the
81: (
44:Country
1094:topics
1030:Alaska
963:Nevada
918:Wigwam
876:Toggle
862:Teapot
848:Storax
813:Ranger
763:Nougat
563:Castle
348:Team17
250:Shrimp
223:fusion
213:device
201:Design
1067:Other
1058:Rifle
930:areas
721:Julin
621:Emery
535:Argus
528:Arbor
514:Anvil
326:band
275:Yield
191:yield
149:TX-17
101:Yield
928:Test
219:Runt
217:The
211:Runt
209:The
187:B-36
72:Date
714:Ivy
1221::
693:"
672:"
607:"
356:.
106:Mt
920:"
916:"
913:"
909:"
906:"
902:"
899:"
895:"
892:"
888:"
885:"
881:"
878:"
874:"
871:"
867:"
864:"
860:"
857:"
853:"
850:"
846:"
843:"
839:"
836:"
832:"
829:"
825:"
822:"
818:"
815:"
811:"
808:"
804:"
786:"
782:"
779:"
775:"
772:"
768:"
765:"
761:"
758:"
754:"
751:"
747:"
744:"
740:"
737:"
733:"
730:"
726:"
723:"
719:"
716:"
712:"
709:"
705:"
700:"
696:"
689:"
686:"
682:"
668:"
665:"
661:"
658:"
654:"
651:"
647:"
644:"
640:"
637:"
633:"
630:"
626:"
623:"
619:"
614:"
610:"
603:"
600:"
596:"
593:"
589:"
586:"
582:"
579:"
575:"
572:"
568:"
565:"
561:"
558:"
554:"
551:"
547:"
544:"
540:"
537:"
533:"
530:"
526:"
523:"
519:"
516:"
512:"
491:e
484:t
477:v
427:.
414:.
401:.
85:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
