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1957 Soviet nuclear tests

{{short description|none}}

{{See also|List of nuclear weapons tests of the Soviet Union}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}}

{{Infobox nuclear weapons test

|name = 1957

|picture =

|picture_description =

|country = Soviet Union

|test_site = Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan; NZ Area A, Chyornaya Guba, Novaya Zemlya, Russia; NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia; Western Kazakhstan

|period = 1957

|number_of_tests = 16

|test_type = air drop, high alt rocket (30–80 km), tower, underwater

|max_yield = {{convert|2.9|MtTNT|lk=in}}

|previous_series = 1956 Soviet nuclear tests

|next_series = 1958 Soviet nuclear tests

}}

{{GeoGroup|article=1957 Soviet nuclear tests}}

The Soviet Union's 1957 nuclear test series was a group of 16 nuclear tests conducted in 1957. These tests followed the 1956 Soviet nuclear tests series and preceded the 1958 Soviet nuclear tests series.

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Soviet Union's 1957 series tests and detonations

style="background:#ffdead;" | Name The US, France and Great Britain have code-named their test events, while the USSR and China did not, and therefore have only test numbers (with some exceptions – Soviet peaceful explosions were named). Word translations into English in parentheses unless the name is a proper noun. A dash followed by a number indicates a member of a salvo event. The US also sometimes named the individual explosions in such a salvo test, which results in "name1 – 1(with name2)". If test is canceled or aborted, then the row data like date and location discloses the intended plans, where known.

!style="background:#efefef;" | Date time (UT)

!style="background:#ffdead;" | Local time zoneTo convert the UT time into standard local, add the number of hours in parentheses to the UT time; for local daylight saving time, add one additional hour. If the result is earlier than 00:00, add 24 hours and subtract 1 from the day; if it is 24:00 or later, subtract 24 hours and add 1 to the day. Historical time zone data obtained from the IANA time zone database.{{cite web| title=Time Zone Historical Database| publisher=iana.com| url=http://www.ietf.org/timezones/| accessdate=8 March 2014}}

!style="background:#efefef;" | LocationRough place name and a latitude/longitude reference; for rocket-carried tests, the launch location is specified before the detonation location, if known. Some locations are extremely accurate; others (like airdrops and space blasts) may be quite inaccurate. "~" indicates a likely pro-forma rough location, shared with other tests in that same area.

!style="background:#ffdead;" | Elevation + height Elevation is the ground level at the point directly below the explosion relative to sea level; height is the additional distance added or subtracted by tower, balloon, shaft, tunnel, air drop or other contrivance. For rocket bursts the ground level is "N/A". In some cases it is not clear if the height is absolute or relative to ground, for example, Plumbbob/John. No number or units indicates the value is unknown, while "0" means zero. Sorting on this column is by elevation and height added together.

!style="background:#efefef;" | Delivery, Atmospheric, airdrop, balloon, gun, cruise missile, rocket, surface, tower, and barge are all disallowed by the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Sealed shaft and tunnel are underground, and remained useful under the PTBT. Intentional cratering tests are borderline; they occurred under the treaty, were sometimes protested, and generally overlooked if the test was declared to be a peaceful use.
Purpose Include weapons development, weapon effects, safety test, transport safety test, war, science, joint verification and industrial/peaceful, which may be further broken down.

!style="background:#efefef;" | DeviceDesignations for test items where known, "?" indicates some uncertainty about the preceding value, nicknames for particular devices in quotes. This category of information is often not officially disclosed.

!style="background:#ffdead;" | YieldEstimated energy yield in tons, kilotons, and megatons. A ton of TNT equivalent is defined as 4.184 gigajoules (1 gigacalorie).

!style="background:#efefef;" class="unsortable" | FalloutRadioactive emission to the atmosphere aside from prompt neutrons, where known. The measured species is only iodine-131 if mentioned, otherwise it is all species. No entry means unknown, probably none if underground and "all" if not; otherwise notation for whether measured on the site only or off the site, where known, and the measured amount of radioactivity released.

!style="background:#ffdead;" class="unsortable" | References

!style="background:#efefef;" class="unsortable" | Notes

34 ZUR-215 (Joe 29){{anchor|34 ZUR-215 (Joe 29)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1957|1|19}}

| style="text-align:center;" | URAT (5 hrs)|| Launch from Kapustin Yar, Astrakhan {{coord|48.56956|45.90346|name=Launch_34 ZUR-215 (Joe 29)|display=inline}}, elv: {{convert|0|+|0|m|abbr=on}};
Detonation over Western Kazakhstan ~ {{coord|49.5|48|name=34 ZUR-215 (Joe 29)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000270

}N/A + {{convert|270|m|abbr=on}}

| high alt rocket (30–80 km),
weapon effect

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000100000|10 kt}}

|

|

| First successful air nuclear explosion with missile launch for Kapustin Yar. The missile was the ZUR-215, later known as the R-5M. The test has become known by the name of the rocket.

|-

! 35 (Joe 30){{anchor|35 (Joe 30)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1957|3|8}}

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)|| Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ {{coord|50.4|77.8|name=35 (Joe 30)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000890|}}{{convert|280|m|abbr=on}} + {{convert|610|m|abbr=on}}

| air drop,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000190000|19 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 36 (Joe 31){{anchor|36 (Joe 31)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1957|4|3}}

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)|| Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ {{coord|50.4|77.8|name=36 (Joe 31)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|001380|}}{{convert|280|m|abbr=on}} + {{convert|1100|m|abbr=on}}

| air drop,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000420000|42 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 37 (Joe 32){{anchor|37 (Joe 32)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1957|4|6}}

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)|| Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ {{coord|50.4|77.8|name=37 (Joe 32)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|001425|}}{{convert|280|m|abbr=on}} + {{convert|1145|m|abbr=on}}

| air drop,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000570000|57 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 38 (Joe 33){{anchor|38 (Joe 33)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1957|4|10}}

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)|| Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan {{coord|50.42|77.78|name=38 (Joe 33)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|002280|}}{{convert|280|m|abbr=on}} + {{convert|2000|m|abbr=on}}

| air drop,
weapons development

| TN

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|006800000|680 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 39 (Joe 34){{anchor|39 (Joe 34)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1957|4|12}}

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)|| Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ {{coord|50.4|77.8|name=39 (Joe 34)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|001425|}}{{convert|280|m|abbr=on}} + {{convert|1145|m|abbr=on}}

| air drop,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000220000|22 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 40 (Joe 35){{anchor|40 (Joe 35)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1957|4|16}}

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)|| Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ {{coord|50.4|77.8|name=40 (Joe 35)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|002280|}}{{convert|280|m|abbr=on}} + {{convert|2000|m|abbr=on}}

| air drop,
weapons development

| TN

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|003200000|320 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 41 (Joe 36){{anchor|41 (Joe 36)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1957|8|22}} 06:30:??

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)|| Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan {{coord|50.42|77.78|name=41 (Joe 36)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|002160|}}{{convert|280|m|abbr=on}} + {{convert|1880|m|abbr=on}}

| air drop,
weapons development

| TN

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|005200000|520 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 42{{anchor|42}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1957|8|26}}

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)|| Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ {{coord|50.4|77.8|name=42|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000690|}}{{convert|280|m|abbr=on}} + {{convert|410|m|abbr=on}}

| air drop,
safety experiment

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000001000|100 t}}

|

|

| First test for nuclear weapons safety, but why dropped?.

|-

! 43 (Joe 37){{anchor|43 (Joe 37)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1957|9|7}} 08:00:01.0

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)|| NZ Area A, Chyornaya Guba, Novaya Zemlya, Russia {{coord|70.72333|54.6963|name=43 (Joe 37)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000017|}}{{convert|2|m|abbr=on}} + {{convert|15|m|abbr=on}}

| tower,
fundamental science

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000320000|32 kt}}

|

|

| The only surface test at NTSNZ, {{convert|320|ft|abbr=on}} in from Guba Chernya bay. Study of anchored ship effects. GZ was quite contaminated, 40,000 R/hr.

|-

! 44 (Joe 38){{anchor|44 (Joe 38)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1957|9|13}}

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)|| Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ {{coord|50.4|77.8|name=44 (Joe 38)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|001060|}}{{convert|280|m|abbr=on}} + {{convert|780|m|abbr=on}}

| air drop,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000059000|5.9 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 45 (Joe 39){{anchor|45 (Joe 39)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1957|9|24}} 09:00:??

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)|| NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia {{coord|73.8|55.4|name=45 (Joe 39)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|002000|}}0 + {{convert|2000|m|abbr=on}}

| air drop,
weapons development

| TN

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|016000000|1.6 Mt}}

|

|

| First air test at NTSNZ; aerial bomb drop.

|-

! 46 (Joe 40){{anchor|46 (Joe 40)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1957|9|26}} 05:00:??

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)|| Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ {{coord|50.4|77.8|name=46 (Joe 40)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|002280|}}{{convert|280|m|abbr=on}} + {{convert|2000|m|abbr=on}}

| air drop,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000130000|13 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 47 (Joe 41){{anchor|47 (Joe 41)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1957|10|6}} 09:00:??

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)|| NZ Area C, Sukhoy Nos, Novaya Zemlya, Russia {{coord|73.8|55|name=47 (Joe 41)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|002120|}}0 + {{convert|2120|m|abbr=on}}

| air drop,
weapons development

| RDS-46A/R-7 TN

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|029000000|2.9 Mt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 48 (Joe 42){{anchor|48 (Joe 42)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1957|10|10}} 06:54:32

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)|| NZ Area A, Chyornaya Guba, Novaya Zemlya, Russia {{coord|70.703|54.6|name=48 (Joe 42)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}}0–{{convert|20|m|abbr=on}}

| underwater,
weapon effect

| RDS-9/T-5 torpedo.

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000060000|6 kt}}

|

|

| Launched underwater by B-130 submarine "some distance" from Guba Chernaya. Very low residual radiation.

|-

! 49 (Joe 43){{anchor|49 (Joe 43)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1957|12|28}}

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)|| Ground Zero, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan ~ {{coord|50.4|77.8|name=49 (Joe 43)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000895|}}{{convert|280|m|abbr=on}} + {{convert|615|m|abbr=on}}

| air drop,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000120000|12 kt}}

|

|

|

|}

{{reflist|group=note}}

References

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite book| publisher=RFNC-VNIIEF| year=1998| title=USSR Nuclear Tests, Hydronuclear Experiments, Plutonium Inventory| location=Sarov, Russia}}

{{cite book| editor-last=Podvig| editor-first=Pavel| year=2001| title=Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces| publisher=MIT Press| location=Cambridge, MA| isbn=9780262661812| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CPRVbYDc-7kC&pg=PA453| accessdate=9 January 2014}}

{{cite tech report|publisher=Central Intelligence Agency| series=National Intelligence Estimate 11-2A-62| url=http://www.foia.cia.gov/sites/default/files/document_conversions/89801/DOC_0000843187.pdf|title=Soviet Atomic Energy Program| accessdate=20 August 2012| date=16 May 1962}}

{{cite tech report| last1=Yang| first1=Xiaoping| first2=Robert| last2=North| first3=Carl| last3=Romney|date=August 2000| title=CMR Nuclear Explosion Database (Revision 3)| publisher=SMDC Monitoring Research}}

{{cite book| publisher=RFNC-VNIIEF| year=1996| title=USSR Nuclear Weapons Tests and Peaceful Nuclear Explosions 1949 through 1990| location=Sarov, Russia}} The official Russian list of Soviet tests.

{{cite book| last1=Cochran| first1=Thomas B.| last2=Arkin| first2=William M.| first3=Robert S.| last3=Norris| first4=Jeffrey I.| last4=Sands| title=Nuclear Weapons Databook Vol. IV: Soviet Nuclear Weapons| publisher=Harper and Row| location=New York, NY}}

{{cite tech report| title=Nuclear explosions in the USSR: The North Test Site reference material, version 4| date=1 December 2004| publisher=IAEA Dept. of Nuclear Safety and Security| url=http://www-ns.iaea.org/downloads/rw/waste-safety/north-test-site-final.pdf| accessdate=13 December 2013}}

{{cite tech report|last1=Andrushkin |first1=Vitaly V. |first2=William |last2=Leith |date=1 September 2001 |title=The containment of Soviet underground nuclear explosions |publisher=USGS |type=Open File Report 01-312 |url=http://geology.er.usgs.gov/eespteam/pdf/USGSOFR01312.pdf |accessdate=13 December 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509080818/http://geology.er.usgs.gov/eespteam/pdf/USGSOFR01312.pdf |archivedate=9 May 2013 }}

{{cite journal| journal=Science and Global Security| volume=13| number=1| doi=10.1080/08929880590961862| title=A Review of Nuclear Testing by the Soviet Union at Novaya Zemlya, 1955--1990| first1=Vitaly I.| last1=Khalturin| first2=Tatyana G.| last2=Rautian|first3=Paul G.|last3=Richards|first4=William S.| last4=Leith| url=http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~richards/my_papers/khalturin_NZ_1-42%20.pdf| accessdate=20 August 2012| date=10 April 2004| pages=1–42| bibcode=2005S&GS...13....1K| s2cid=122069080}}

{{cite book| last=Zaloga| first=Steven J.| year=2002| title=The Kremlin's Nuclear Sword: The Rise and Fall of Russia's Strategic Nuclear Forces, 1945-2000| publisher=Smithsonian Institution Press| location=Washington, DC}}

{{cite book| last1=Weir| first1=Gary E.| first2=Walter J.| last2=Boyne| year= 2003| title=Rising Tide: The Untold Story of the Russian Submarines that Fought the Cold War| publisher=Basic Books| location=New York, NY}}

{{cite tech report| last1=Eneva| first1=Mariana| first2=Jeffry L.| last2=Stevens| first3=Jack| last3=Murphy| first4=Boris D.| last4=Khristoforov| title=Effect of charge depth in Russian hydroacoustic data from nuclear and HE explosions| journal=22nd Seismic Research Review| url=https://www.nemre.nnsa.doe.gov/prod/researchreview/2000/05/0503.pdf| accessdate=20 January 2013}}{{Dead link|date=February 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

}}

1957

Category:1957 in the Soviet Union

Category:1957 in military history

Category:Explosions in 1957