Frenchman Flat

Zhu, C., and Wille, J., 1997. Baseline of groundwater geochemistry at the Frenchman Flat, Nevada Test Site. Unpublished report to Department of Energy. 

Description of Experiments The Desert Tortoise Series of ammonia spill experiments was performed by LLNL at the Frenchman Flat area of the Nevada Test Site during the summer of 1983. There were four experiments for the study of the size, shape, and temperature of the ammonia clouds, as well as the extent of the hazardous concentrations downwind. In order to simulate simple cases, which later could be modeled, the tests were performed at constant pressure and on the dry lakebed, which provided a relatively flat and smooth surface. 

Based on prior meteorological data, a transition from neutral to stable conditions could be anticipated during the period from just before until just after sunset at the Frenchman Flat site. This series of four CO2 vapor and tracer amounts of SFvapor release rates from —0.5 to 1.6 kg/s. The experiments had been designed to use a horizontal jet source but were changed very late in the program to simulate a ground level low-momentum source. 

MARK-9 AND MARK-19 280-MM PROJECTILES. The U S. mili tary fielded two nuclear projectiles for Atomic Annie, its 280-mm atomic cannon. The Matk-9 (Mk-9), having a range of about 15 miles, was test-fired successfully on 25 May 1953 during Shot Grable at Frenchman Flats, Nevada. Its weight and poor aerodynamics spurred development of a replacement, the Mark-19 (Mk-19), which was 200 pounds lighter and had a range of nearly 19 miles. 

A report on ammonia spills at Frenchman s Flat has been given [59, 60]. Four tests were carried out with ammonia quantities of 25 to 60 m (10-41 tons). Test number four was particularly interesting since it involved... 

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