TA-39 Brief Description

4.20.1 Site Description TA-39, Ancho Canyon [Table 4-18 and Figure 4-20 (index map of TA-39)], is located at the bottom of Ancho Canyon off State Road 4 between Los Alamos and White Rock. The technical area was created when explosives work at TA-15 became too crowded and a new space for shock wave physics work was needed. This site was chosen because the deep canyon and steep walls isolate explosives tests from the public. The behavior of non-nuclear weapons is studied here, primarily by photographic techniques. Investigators also study various phenomenological aspects of explosives, interactions of explosives, explosions involving other materials, shock wave physics, equation-of-state measurements, and pulsed-power systems design. Operations at TA-39 center around three kinds of work: dynamic HE experiments, high-voltage capacitor bank operations, and gas gun experiments supported by explosives storage and handling, machine shops, heavy equipment, laboratory preparations, data analysis, and administrative support.     ©2004 lasg.org