In Ekker series, French nuclear tests

The In Ekker series was a group of 13 underground A-bomb nuclear tests and 5 bombs explosions for the Mirage IV conducted by France between November 1961 and February 1966.[1] The bombs were detonated at the Oasis Military Experiments Centre near In Ekker, French Algeria at the Tan Afella in the Hoggar Mountains, by the Nuclear Experiments Operational Group (GOEN), a unit of the Joint Special Weapons Command. The series saw the explosion of the first AN-11/21 bombs and was followed by the 1966–70 series.

In Ekker series
Location of the Oasis Military Experiments Centre (CEMO)
Information
Country France
Test siteIn Ekker, French Algeria
Coordinates24°03′25″N 05°03′06″E
Period1961–1966
Number of tests13 + 5 AN-11/21
Test typeUnderground
Device typeA-bombs
Max. yield127 kt (531.4 TJ)
Test series chronology

Codenames

The 13 underground operations were named after jewel stones, while the 5 AN-11/21 bombs tests were designated as Pollen I, Pollen Rose, Pollen Rouge, Pollen Safran and Pollen Jonquille.

Chart of the tests
Codename[lower-alpha 1] Date time (UTC) Location Elevation Altitude Delivery Purpose Device Yield Fallouts[lower-alpha 2]
Agate 1961-11-07 – 11:29:59.9 Shaft E1 North – CEMO
Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria
24°03′25″N 05°03′06″E		 1,400 m 0 m[lower-alpha 3] Tunnel
  • Measurement procedures
  • Study of mechanical effects
 S1 5.0 kt After 8 hours :
  • 0.040 mGy/h (Drilling T11')
Béryl 1962-05-01 – 10:00:00.5 Shaft E2 – CEMO
Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria
24°03′47″N 05°02′30″E		 1,580 m 0 m[lower-alpha 3] Tunnel S2[lower-alpha 4] >30.0 kt After few minutes :[lower-alpha 5]
  • 0.001 to 3.000 Gy/h

After 1 hour :

  • 7.000 Gy/h (7.0 km)

After 1 day :

  • 0.100 mGy/h (150.0 km)
Émeraude
(Georgette)		 1963-03-18 – 10:02:00.4 Shaft E3 South – CEMO
Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria
24°02′29″N 05°03′09″E		 1,540 m 0 m[lower-alpha 3] Tunnel 10.0 kt After 8 hours :
  • 0.400 mGy/h (Drilling T32)
Améthyste 1963-03-30 – 09:59:00.3 Shaft E3 Bis – CEMO
Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria
24°02′36″N 05°03′24″E		 1,220 m 0 m[lower-alpha 3] Tunnel
  • Reuse of plutonium
  • Test of new neutron detection devices
 P1 0.85 kt After 20 minutes :[lower-alpha 5]
  • 0.200 Gy/h (1.0 km)

After 1 day :

  • 0.700 Gy/h (1.0 km)
Rubis 1963-10-20 – 13:00:00.1 Shaft E5 – CEMO
Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria
24°02′05″N 05°02′12″E		 1,510 m 0 m[lower-alpha 3] Tunnel 68.0 kt After 1 hour :[lower-alpha 5]
  • 1.000 Gy/h (1.0 km)

After 5 hours :

  • 0.100 mGy/h (? km)

After 14 hours :

  • 0.002 mGy/h (150.0 km)
Opale
(Michèle)		 1964-02-14 – 11:00:00.3 Shaft E1 South – CEMO
Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria
24°03′13″N 05°03′07″E		 1,380 m 0 m[lower-alpha 3] Tunnel 3.7 kt After 6 hours :
  • 0.050 mGy/h (Drilling T12)
Pollen I 1964-05-08 – ??:??:??.? Shooting range – CEMO
Tan Ataram, In Ekker, French Algeria
23°55′57″N 04°44′26″E		 940 m 0 m Surface
  • Assessment of plutonium contamination during a simulated accident
 AN-11 N/A
Topaze 1964-06-15 – 13:40:00.4 Shaft E6-1 – CEMO
Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria
24°03′59″N 05°02′03″E		 1,410 m 0 m[lower-alpha 3] Tunnel
  • Test of a new plutonium prototype
 A1 >1.0 kt After 6 hours :
  • 0.050 mGy/h (Drilling T12)
Turquoise 1964-11-28 – 10:30:00.0 Shaft E4 – CEMO
Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria
24°02′30″N 05°02′29″E		 1,760 m 0 m[lower-alpha 3] Tunnel
  • Fusion of lithium deuterium with plutonium
  • Evacuation exercises[lower-alpha 6]
 H2 5 kt None
Pollen Rose 1964-12-31 – 06:28:??.? Shooting range – CEMO
Tan Ataram, In Ekker, French Algeria
23°55′57″N 04°44′26″E		 940 m +1 m Tower
  • Assessment of plutonium contamination during a simulated accident
 AN-11 N/A Contaminated area of 0.550 km2
Saphir
(Monique)		 1965-02-27 – 11:30:00.0 Shaft E7 – CEMO
Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria
24°03′31″N 05°01′52″E		 1,830 m 0 m[lower-alpha 3] Tunnel
  • Early prototype of a SSBS
 B1 117 kt Leak of noble gases (Drilling T71)
Jade 1965-05-30 – 11:00:00.0 Shaft E1-3 – CEMO
Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria
24°03′18″N 05°03′02″E		 1,460 m 0 m[lower-alpha 3] Tunnel
  • Axial prototype
 A2 0.6 kt After 2 hours :[lower-alpha 5]
  • 0.010 Gy/h (Drilling T31)

After 4 hours :

  • 0.020 Gy/h (Entrance)

After 2 weeks :

Corindon 1965-10-01 – 10:00:00.0 Shaft E6-1 – CEMO
Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria
24°03′53″N 05°02′02″E		 1,500 m 0 m[lower-alpha 3] Tunnel
  • Non spherical device
  • Study of thermonuclear devices' ignition conditions
 A3 >4 kt After 15 minutes :
  • 3.200 mGy/h (Drilling T62)

After 11 hours :

  • 1.8 mGy/h (Entrance)
Pollen Rouge 1965-11-01 – 21:53:??.? Shooting range – CEMO
Tan Ataram, In Ekker, French Algeria
23°55′57″N 04°44′26″E		 940 m +15 m Tower
  • Assessment of plutonium contamination during a simulated accident
 AN-11 N/A Contaminated area of 2.100 km2
Tourmaline 1965-12-01 – 10:30:00.1 Shaft E3 North – CEMO
Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria
24°02′37″N 05°02′48″E		 1,600 m 0 m[lower-alpha 3] Tunnel
  • Study of MSBS missiles' ignition conditions
  • Spherical fission plutonium device boosted with tritium
 G3 10 kt After 1 day :
  • 0.200 mGy/h (Drilling T31)
Pollen Safran 1966-01-10 – 02:06:??.? Shooting range – CEMO
Tan Ataram, In Ekker, French Algeria
23°55′57″N 04°44′26″E		 940 m +15 m Tower
  • Assessment of plutonium contamination during a simulated accident
 AN-21 N/A Contaminated area of 5.600 km2
Grenat
(Carmen)		 1966-02-16 – 11:00:00.0 Shaft E4-2 North – CEMO
Tan Afella, In Ekker, French Algeria
24°02′41″N 05°02′28″E		 1,760 m 0 m[lower-alpha 3] Tunnel
  • Same purposes as Tourmaline, under different conditions
 G'3 13 kt After 2 hours :
  • 0.005 Gy/h (Drilling T42)
Pollen Jonquille 1966-03-09 – 22:12:??.? Shooting range – CEMO
Tan Ataram, In Ekker, French Algeria
23°55′57″N 04°44′26″E		 940 m +1 m Tower
  • Assessment of plutonium contamination during a simulated accident
 AN-21 N/A Contaminated area of 2.750 km2
References : [2][3][4][5][6]

See also

Notes
  1. Parenthesis indicate the name given by the APEX (Application Pacifique des EXpérimentations nucléaires), a peaceful use organization.
  2. Original 60's numbers are in rad/h and were converted to Gy/h, the SI derived unit for ionizing radiation dose.
  3. Horizontal tunnel of 1,000 m.
  4. Emergency device S3 ready had S2 failed.
  5. Uncontained explosion
  6. Operations Diaspora, Lapin Bleu, Lapin Blanc, Lapin Rouge and Tortue.

References
  1. Senate of the French Republic (15 December 1997). "French Senate report #179: The first French tests in the Sahara". senat.fr (in French). Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  2. Radiological Conditions at the Former French Nuclear Test Sites in Algeria: Preliminary Assessment and Recommendations (PDF) (Technical report). Vienna: International Atomic Energy Agency. 1 March 2005. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  3. Report on French Nuclear Tests (1960-1996) (PDF) (Technical report) (in French). Government of the French Republic. p. 118. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  4. Yang, Xiaoping; North, Robert; Romney, Carl. Worldwide Nuclear Explosions (PDF) (Technical report). Science Applications International Corporation, Center for Monitoring Research. p. 20. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  5. Report on health and environmental hazards of France's nuclear tests between 1960 and 1996 [...] (PDF) (Technical report) (in French). Paris: National Assembly of the French Republic. 5 February 2001. p. 36. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  6. French Nuclear Testing, 1960-1988 (PDF) (Technical report). New York: Natural Resources Defense Council. February 1989. p. 26. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
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