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1971 Soviet nuclear tests

{{Short description|Detonations of atomic bombs in the Eurasian country}}

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

{{Infobox nuclear weapons test

|name = 1971

|picture = Nuclear Blast Animation Rising Mushroom Cloud.gif

|picture_description = Nuclear blast animation

|country = Soviet Union

|test_site = Arkhangelsk, Russia; Atyrau, Kazakhstan; Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan; Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan; Ivanovo, Russia; Komi, Russia; NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia; Orenburg, Russia; Perm, Russia; Sary-Uzen/Murzhik, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan

|period = 1971

|number_of_tests = 23

|test_type = cratering, underground shaft, tunnel

|max_yield = {{convert|2.4|MtTNT|lk=in}}

|previous_series = 1970 Soviet nuclear tests

|next_series = 1972 Soviet nuclear tests

}}

{{GeoGroup|article=1971 Soviet nuclear tests}}

The Soviet Union's 1971 nuclear test series was a group of 23 nuclear tests conducted in 1971. These testsA bomb test may be a salvo test, defined as two or more explosions "where a period of time between successive individual explosions does not exceed 5 seconds and where the burial points of all explosive devices can be connected by segments of straight lines, each of them connecting two burial points and does not exceed 40 kilometers in length". {{cite web|first=V. N.|last=Mikhailov|title=Catalog of World Wide Nuclear Testing|publisher=Begell-Atom, LLC|url=http://www.iss-atom.ru/ksenia/catal_nt/1.htm|access-date=2013-12-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426102201/http://www.iss-atom.ru/ksenia/catal_nt/1.htm|archive-date=2014-04-26|url-status=dead}} followed the 1970 Soviet nuclear tests series and preceded the 1972 Soviet nuclear tests series.

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Soviet Union's 1971 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=March 8, 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

332{{anchor|332}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|1|29}} 05:03:00.0

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 114 {{coord|49.80334|78.16045|name=332|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000657

}{{convert|657|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapon effect

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000018000|1.8 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 333{{anchor|333}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|3|22}} 04:33:00.3

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 510p {{coord|49.7985|78.109|name=333|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000656|}}{{convert|656|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
peaceful research

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000670000|67 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 334{{anchor|334}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|3|22}} 04:33:??

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 807 {{coord|49.77704|78.09342|name=334|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000601|}}{{convert|601|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000000000|unknown yield}}

|

|

|

|-

! 335 Taiga - 1{{anchor|335 Taiga}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|3|23}} 06:59:58.4

| style="text-align:center;" | SVET (5 hrs)
|| Perm, Russia: 1B {{coord|61.30759|56.59926|name=335 Taiga - 1|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}} – {{convert|128|m|abbr=on}}

| cratering,
earth moving

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000150000|15 kt}}

|

|

| Excavation for canal.

|-

! 335 Taiga - 2{{anchor|335 Taiga}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|3|23}} 06:59:58

| style="text-align:center;" | SVET (5 hrs)
|| Perm, Russia: 2B {{coord|61.30621|56.59881|name=335 Taiga - 2|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}} – {{convert|128|m|abbr=on}}

| cratering,
industrial

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000150000|15 kt}}

|

|

| Excavation for canal.

|-

! 335 Taiga - 3{{anchor|335 Taiga}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|3|23}} 06:59:58

| style="text-align:center;" | SVET (5 hrs)
|| Perm, Russia: 3B {{coord|61.30472|56.59843|name=335 Taiga - 3|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}} – {{convert|128|m|abbr=on}}

| cratering,
industrial

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000150000|15 kt}}

|

|

| Excavation for canal.

|-

! 336{{anchor|336}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|4|9}} 02:33:00.0

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 148/1 {{coord|49.83145|78.03479|name=336|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000632|}}{{convert|632|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
industrial

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000002300|230 t}}

|

|

| Tested a special device for keeping radioactivity from invading ore bodies when using a bomb to fracture them.

|-

! 337{{anchor|337}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|4|25}} 03:32:59.9

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 706 {{coord|49.7685|78.0339|name=337|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000689|}}{{convert|689|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000900000|90 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 338{{anchor|338}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|5|25}} 04:03:00.4

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 119 {{coord|49.8016|78.1388|name=338|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000761|}}{{convert|761|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000090000|9 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 339{{anchor|339}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|6|6}} 04:02:59.7

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Sary-Uzen/Murzhik, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 110 {{coord|49.97599|77.65964|name=339|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000460|}}{{convert|460|m|abbr=on}} +

| underground shaft,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000160000|16 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 340{{anchor|340}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|6|19}} 04:04:00.1

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Sary-Uzen/Murzhik, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 129 {{coord|49.96946|77.64124|name=340|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000460|}}{{convert|460|m|abbr=on}} +

| underground shaft,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000350000|35 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 341{{anchor|341}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|6|30}} 03:56:59.8

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1056 {{coord|49.94657|78.9797|name=341|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000330|}}{{convert|330|m|abbr=on}} +

| underground shaft,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000050000|5 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 342 Globus 4{{anchor|342 Globus 4}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|7|2}} 17:00:01.1

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)
|| Komi, Russia: GB-4 {{coord|67.28486|63.46342|name=342 Globus 4|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}} – {{convert|540|m|abbr=on}}

| underground shaft,
seismic sounding

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000023000|2.3 kt}}

|

|

| Seismic probing program.

|-

! 343 Globus 3{{anchor|343 Globus 3}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|7|10}} 17:00:01.4

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)
|| Komi, Russia: GB-3 {{coord|64.16663|55.26057|name=343 Globus 3|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}} – {{convert|470|m|abbr=on}}

| underground shaft,
seismic sounding

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000023000|2.3 kt}}

|

|

| Seismic probing program.

|-

! 344 Globus 1{{anchor|344 Globus 1}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|9|19}} 11:00:01.1

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)
|| Ivanovo, Russia: GB-1 {{coord|57.508|42.643|name=344 Globus 1|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}} – {{convert|610|m|abbr=on}}

| underground shaft,
seismic sounding

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000023000|2.3 kt}}

| Venting detected

|

| Seismic probing program.

|-

! 345 - 1{{anchor|345}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|9|27}} 05:59:55.75

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)
|| NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-8 {{coord|73.393|54.92|name=345 - 1|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}}{{convert|100|m|abbr=on}} – {{convert|1200|m|abbr=on}}

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|024500000|2.5 Mt}}

| Venting detected off site, {{convert|15|Ci|GBq|abbr=on}}

|

|

|-

! 345 - 2{{anchor|345}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|9|27}} 05:59:55.8

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)
|| NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-8 {{coord|73.393|54.92|name=345 - 2|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000100|}}{{convert|100|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000000000|unknown yield}}

|

|

|

|-

! 345 - 3{{anchor|345}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|9|27}} 05:59:55.8

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)
|| NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-8 {{coord|73.393|54.92|name=345 - 3|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000100|}}{{convert|100|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000000000|unknown yield}}

|

|

|

|-

! 345 - 4{{anchor|345}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|9|27}} 05:59:55.8

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)
|| NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-8 {{coord|73.393|54.92|name=345 - 4|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000100|}}{{convert|100|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000000000|unknown yield}}

|

|

|

|-

! 346 Globus 2{{anchor|346 Globus 2}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|10|4}} 10:00:00.1

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)
|| Arkhangelsk, Russia: GB-2 {{coord|61.358|48.092|name=346 Globus 2|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}} – {{convert|595|m|abbr=on}}

| underground shaft,
seismic sounding

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000023000|2.3 kt}}

|

|

| Seismic probing program.

|-

! 347{{anchor|347}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|10|9}} 06:02:59.7

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Sary-Uzen/Murzhik, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 111 {{coord|49.97852|77.64117|name=347|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000460|}}{{convert|460|m|abbr=on}} +

| underground shaft,
weapons development

|

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

| Venting detected

|

|

|-

! 348{{anchor|348}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|10|21}} 06:02:59.7

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Sary-Uzen/Murzhik, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 127 {{coord|49.9744|77.59698|name=348|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000460|}}{{convert|460|m|abbr=on}} +

| underground shaft,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000230000|23 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 349 Sapfir (Sapphire){{anchor|349 Sapfir (Sapphire)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|10|22}} 05:00:01.0

| style="text-align:center;" | SVET (5 hrs)
|| Orenburg, Russia: E-2 {{coord|51.6|54.45|name=349 Sapfir (Sapphire)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}} – {{convert|1140|m|abbr=on}}

| underground shaft,
cavity excavation

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000150000|15 kt}}

|

|

| Create reservoirs for gas storage.

|-

! 350 - 1{{anchor|350}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|11|29}} 06:02:59.9

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 105 {{coord|49.7434|78.0785|name=350 - 1|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000766|}}{{convert|766|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000280000|28 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 350 - 2{{anchor|350}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|11|29}} 06:02:59.9

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 105 {{coord|49.7434|78.0785|name=350 - 2|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000766|}}{{convert|766|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000000000|unknown yield}}

|

|

|

|-

! 351{{anchor|351}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|12|15}} 07:53:59.8

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 157 {{coord|49.8264|77.9973|name=351|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000576|}}{{convert|691|m|abbr=on}} – {{convert|115|m|abbr=on}}

| tunnel,
weapon effect

|

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

|

|

|

|-

! 352 Galit A3 (Halite){{anchor|352 Galit A3 (Halite)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|12|22}} 06:59:59.0

| style="text-align:center;" | SHET (5 hrs)
|| Atyrau, Kazakhstan: A-III {{coord|47.872|48.222|name=352 Galit A3 (Halite)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}} – {{convert|987|m|abbr=on}}

| underground shaft,
industrial

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000640000|64 kt}}

|

|

| Create reservoirs for gas storage; reused the cavity for test #437.

|-

! 353{{anchor|353}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|12|30}} 06:21:00.2

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 809 {{coord|49.76|78.0371|name=353|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000714|}}{{convert|714|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000500000|50 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 354{{anchor|354}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1971|12|30}} 06:21:??

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 609 {{coord|49.75729|78.04214|name=354|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000715|}}{{convert|715|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000000000|unknown yield}}

|

|

|

|}

{{reflist|group=note}}

References

{{reflist|refs=

{{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| 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=January 9, 2014}}

{{cite journal| last1=Khalturin| first1=Vitaly I.| first2=Tatyana G.| last2=Rautian| first3=Paul G.| last3=Richards| year=2000| doi=10.1007/pl00001153| title=Chemical explosions during 1961-1989 on the Semipalatinsk Test Site, Kazakhstan| journal=Pure and Applied Geophysics| volume=158| pages=143–171| s2cid=128953780| url=http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/res/div/sgt/vitaly/VIKh_papers/chemex_at_STS2000.pdf| accessdate=December 13, 2013| archive-date=March 4, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304120004/http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/res/div/sgt/vitaly/VIKh_papers/chemex_at_STS2000.pdf| url-status=dead}}

{{cite tech report| first1=Won-Young| last1=Kim| first2=Paul G.| last2=Richards| first3=Vitaly| last3=Andrushkin| first4=Vladimir| last4=Ovtchinnikov| date=April 1, 2001| title=Borovoye digital seismogram archive for underground nuclear tests during 1966-1996| publisher=LDEO| url=http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/Monitoring/Data/Brv_arch_ex/brv_text_table.pdf|accessdate=December 13, 2013}}

{{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| 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=December 1, 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=December 13, 2013}}

{{cite tech report| last=Nordyke| first=M.D.| title=The Soviet Program for Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Explosions| type=UCRL-ID-12441O Rev 2| url=http://cryptocomb.org/The%20Soviet%20Program%20for%20Peaceful%20Uses%20of%20Nuclear%20Explosions.pdf| accessdate=December 13, 2013}}

{{cite tech report|last1=Andrushkin |first1=Vitaly V. |first2=William |last2=Leith |date=September 1, 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=December 13, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509080818/http://geology.er.usgs.gov/eespteam/pdf/USGSOFR01312.pdf |archivedate=May 9, 2013 }}

}}

1971

Category:1971 in the Soviet Union

Category:1971 in military history

Category:Explosions in 1971