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TA-36 More Details |
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March 1998 1 1 6 TA and Facilities Descriptions
©2004 lasg.org |
TA-36 More Details
March 1998 1 1 6 TA and Facilities Descriptions
4.18.2.1 Facility Hazard Categories
Table 4-16 identifies the facilities at TA-36 that fall into a facility hazard category because of the
type of operations performed in the facility.
4.18.2.1.1 Nuclear Facility Hazard Categories
No buildings at TA-36 are categorized as nuclear facilities.
4.18.2.1.2 Non-Nuclear Facility Hazard Categories
A variety of diagnostic equipment is available at the four firing sites: four 2.3-MeV, six 600-keV,
four 450-keV, and twelve 150-keV flash radiographic systems are available. Rotating-mirror streak
cameras with 20-mm/ms writing speed, image-intensifier cameras with 10-ns shutter times, a combination
streak and 2-million-frame-per-second framing camera, other framing cameras, and highspeed
digitizers are available for use at all firing sites. Nanosecond-resolution, time-interval meters,
and digital delay units are installed at each firing site.
Only one of the buildings (Building 86) discussed below is categorized as L/RAD; the rest are
L/ENS. For the purpose of clarity, Building 86 is discussed below with its associated firing site.
Buildings 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 55, 82, and 83, all of which are used for preparing and storing
HE, are categorized as L/ENS. The more significant among these are described below.
March 1998 1 1 7 TA and Facilities Descriptions
4.18.2.1.2.1 Buildings Characterized L/ENS
4.18.2.1.2.1.1 Eenie Site
The Eenie Site (Buildings 3 and 4, Figure 4-18, Sheet 2) has the only aboveground bunker at TA-
36. This bunker allows the use of a variety of optical and electronic diagnostics. Belowgrade
bunkers at TA-36 are used to protect 35-mm streak cameras, which observe the test device
through a periscope. Image-intensifier cameras, a 70-mm streak camera, a combination streak
camera with a 2-million-frame-per-second framing camera, and a laser velocimeter are routinely
available at this site as needed for specific tests. The Eenie Site primarily performs small-bore
(less than 100 mm) gun tests against conventional, ceramic, and reactive armors; shaped-charge
jet tests against conventional, ceramic, and reactive armors; diagnostic experiments to determine
shaped-charge jet physics; deflagration-to-detonation experiments; detonation physics experiments;
and studies in explosives vulnerability to projectile and shaped-charge attack. The site has
a load limit of 2,000 lb (907 kg) of HE. The Eenie Control Building (Building 3) and the Eenie Preparation
Building (Building 4) are categorized as L/ENS.
4.18.2.1.2.1.2 Meenie Site
Meenie Site (Building 5, Figure 4-18, Sheet 2) is a general-purpose firing site usually configured
to perform large-bore (105-mm, 120-mm, 5-in., and 7-in.) gun tests. Numerous diagnostic experiments
are performed to help define the characteristics of shaped-charge jet physics, deflagrationto-
detonation experiments, and explosives vulnerability to projectile and shaped-charge attack.
Primary diagnostics include portable, low-resolution flash radiography and electrical timing and
pressure measurements rather than optical observations. Meenie Site is the primary site for weapons
components tests that require the use of a 35-mm smear camera. The site has a load limit of
2,000 lb (907 kg) of HE. Minie Site has also been granted a permit for treating explosive and explosive-
contaminated material. The Meenie Preparation Building (Building 5) is categorized as
L/ENS.
4.18.2.1.2.1.3 Minie Site
The Minie Site (Building 7, Figure 4-18, Sheet 2) is also a general-purpose firing site used primarily
for shaped-charge jet tests against conventional, ceramic, and reactive armors. Some deflagration-
to-detonation experiments and studies to determine explosives vulnerability to projectile
and shaped-charge attack are performed at Minie Site when the primary diagnostics required
by the customer are low-resolution flash radiography or electrical timing and pressure measurements
rather than optical systems. Minie Site also serves as the backup site when scheduling
conflicts preclude the use of the Meenie Site. Tests on destroying explosives and chemicals are
also performed at the Minie Site. The site has a load limit of 2,000 lb (907 kg) of HE. The Minie
Preparation Building (Building 7) is categorized as L/ENS.
4.18.2.1.2.1.4 Lower Slobbovia
Lower Slobbovia (Buildings 11, 12, and 86; Figure 4-18, Sheet 4) is a multipurpose site. It contains
an upper firing site with instrumentation that is virtually identical to that found at the Minie
Site. The primary diagnostics used here are optical, electrical timing, and pressure. The explosive
load limit for the upper site is 5,000 lb (2,268 kg).
A 1,000-ft (305-m) sled track is also located at Lower Slobbovia. In the current configuration and
the present sled design, the facility is capable of developing payloads of up to 100 lb (45.4 kg) to
velocities slightly above Mach 1. With a moderately redesigned sled, velocities approaching Mach
2 and sled weights up to 1,000 lb (453.6 kg) should be possible. It is also possible to increase
the track length to 2,000 ft (610 m). At that length, multirocket motor sleds could accelerate pay-
March 1998 1 1 8 TA and Facilities Descriptions
loads of several hundred pounds above Mach 2. The use of large rocket motors, greater than the
5-in.- (12.7-cm-) diameter motors currently used, is anticipated. The diagnostics currently available
at the target end of the sled track include flash x-ray, time interval meters, digital delay modules,
high-speed movie capability, four independent capacitive discharge units, rotating-mirror
combination streak and framing camera, and image intensifier camera.
The Lower Slobbovia control buildings (Buildings 11 and 12) are categorized as L/ENS. Mo
(Building 9, Figure 4-18, Sheet 3), a magazine, is also located at this site and is categorized as
L/ENS. Two additional magazines are categorized as L/ENS: Building 10 (Magazine) and Building
83 (Promo Magazine).
4.18.2.1.2.2 Building Categorized L/RAD
The Pulsed Intense X-Ray Facility (PIXY), an 8-MeV flash radiographic facility (Building 86, Figure
4-18, Sheet 4), is also located at Lower Slobbovia adjacent to the target end of the sled track. The
PIXY machine enables low-to-medium resolution, deep-penetration radiography to be performed
on a variety of conventional, ceramic, and reactive targets. PIXY will be fully integrated with the
sled track and with the large-bore gun range located parallel and adjacent to the sled track to enable
deep-penetration radiography to be performed in a variety of dynamic experiments.
4.18.2.2 Nonhazardous Facilities
The rest of the facilities at TA-36, consisting of HE storage, general storage, HE testing, and administrative/
technical areas, house activities considered to be nonhazardous.
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