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1972 Soviet nuclear tests

{{short description|none}}

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

{{Infobox nuclear weapons test

|name = 1972

|picture = Nuclear Blast Animation Rising Mushroom Cloud.gif

|picture_description = Nuclear blast animation

|country = Soviet Union

|test_site = Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan; Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan; Kharkiv, Ukraine; Kostanay, Kazakhstan; Murmansk, Russia; NZ Area A, Chyornaya Guba, Novaya Zemlya, Russia; NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia; Orenburg, Russia; Sary-Uzen/Murzhik, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan; Turkmenistan

|period = 1972

|number_of_tests = 23

|test_type = underground shaft, tunnel

|max_yield = {{convert|1.1|MtTNT|lk=in}}

|previous_series = 1971 Soviet nuclear tests

|next_series = 1973 Soviet nuclear tests

}}

{{GeoGroup|article=1972 Soviet nuclear tests}}

The Soviet Union's 1972 nuclear test series was a group of 24 nuclear tests conducted in 1972. These tests A 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 1971 Soviet nuclear tests series and preceded the 1973 Soviet nuclear tests series.

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Soviet Union's 1972 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. v{{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

355{{anchor|355}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|2|10}} 05:03:00.0

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1007 {{coord|50.02495|78.87728|name=355|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000330

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

| underground shaft,
weapons development

|

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

| Venting detected

|

|

|-

! 356 - 1{{anchor|356}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|3|10}} 04:56:59.8

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 201 {{coord|49.7453|78.1197|name=356 - 1|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000672|}}{{convert|672|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

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

|

|

|

|-

! 356 - 2{{anchor|356}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|3|10}} 04:56:59.8

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 201 {{coord|49.7453|78.1197|name=356 - 2|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000672|}}{{convert|672|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

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

|

|

|

|-

! 357 - 1{{anchor|357}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|3|28}} 04:22:00.1

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 191 {{coord|49.7331|78.0757|name=357 - 1|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000655|}}{{convert|655|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

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

|

|

|

|-

! 357 - 2{{anchor|357}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|3|28}} 04:22:00.1

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 191 {{coord|49.7331|78.0757|name=357 - 2|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000655|}}{{convert|655|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
peaceful research

|

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

|

|

|

|-

! 357 - 3{{anchor|357}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|3|28}} 04:22:00.1

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 191 {{coord|49.7331|78.0757|name=357 - 3|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000655|}}{{convert|655|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
safety experiment

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000000010|1000 kg}}

|

|

|

|-

! 358 Krator (Crater){{anchor|358 Krator (Crater)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|4|11}} 06:00:01.9

| style="text-align:center;" | ASHT (5 hrs)
|| Turkmenistan: ? {{coord|36.56173|62.81352|name=358 Krator (Crater)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}} – {{convert|1720|m|abbr=on}}

| underground shaft,
extinguishing oil/gas fires

|

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

|

|

| Gas fire shaft closure.

|-

! 359{{anchor|359}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|4|20}}

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 505p {{coord|49.84352|78.10513|name=359|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000587|}}{{convert|587|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
safety experiment

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000000010|1000 kg}}

|

|

|

|-

! 360{{anchor|360}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|6|7}} 01:28:??

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 110 {{coord|49.8267|78.1155|name=360|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000618|}}{{convert|618|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

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

|

|

|

|-

! 361{{anchor|361}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|6|7}} 01:28:00.0

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 601 {{coord|49.77091|77.9914|name=361|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000620|}}{{convert|620|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapon effect

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000250000|25 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 362{{anchor|362}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|7|6}} 01:03:00.0

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 157-M {{coord|49.7375|78.1101|name=362|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000650|}}{{convert|650|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapon effect

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000015000|1.5 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 363 Fakel (Torch){{anchor|363 Fakel (Torch)}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|7|9}} 07:00:01.3

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)
|| Kharkiv, Ukraine: ? {{coord|49.47973|35.49465|name=363 Fakel (Torch)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}} – {{convert|2483|m|abbr=on}}

| underground shaft,
extinguishing oil/gas fires

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000038000|3.8 kt}}

|

|

| Gas fire shaft closure. 15 km N Krasnodar, Ukraine.

|-

! 364{{anchor|364}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|7|27}} 10:00:??

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)
|| NZ Area A, Chyornaya Guba, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: Yu-3 {{coord|70.83|54.15|name=364|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000030|}}{{convert|30|m|abbr=on}} +

| underground shaft,
fundamental science

|

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

|

|

| Did not register seismically; may have been a fizzle.

|-

! 365{{anchor|365}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|8|16}} 03:16:59.8

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 708 {{coord|49.7655|78.0588|name=365|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000555|}}{{convert|555|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapon effect

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000080000|8 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 367{{anchor|367}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|8|26}} 03:46:59.7

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Sary-Uzen/Murzhik, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 132 {{coord|49.98233|77.71601|name=367|display=inline}}

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

| underground shaft,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000210000|21 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 368 - 1{{anchor|368}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|8|28}} 05:59:56.87

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)
|| NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-16 {{coord|73.388|54.847|name=368 - 1|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}}{{convert|100|m|abbr=on}} – {{convert|900|m|abbr=on}}

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|011200000|1.1 Mt}}

| Venting detected off site, {{convert|1|MCi|PBq|abbr=on}}

|

|

|-

! 368 - 2{{anchor|368}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|8|28}} 05:59:56.9

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)
|| NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-16 {{coord|73.388|54.847|name=368 - 2|display=inline}}

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

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

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

|

|

|

|-

! 368 - 3{{anchor|368}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|8|28}} 05:59:56.9

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)
|| NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-16 {{coord|73.388|54.847|name=368 - 3|display=inline}}

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

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

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

|

|

|

|-

! 368 - 4{{anchor|368}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|8|28}} 05:59:56.9

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)
|| NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-16 {{coord|73.388|54.847|name=368 - 4|display=inline}}

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

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

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

|

|

|

|-

! 369{{anchor|369}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|9|2}} 08:56:59.9

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Sary-Uzen/Murzhik, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 128 {{coord|49.96002|77.64146|name=369|display=inline}}

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

| underground shaft,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000020000|2 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 370 Dnepr 1{{anchor|370 Dnepr 1}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|9|4}} 07:00:00.0

| style="text-align:center;" | MSK (3 hrs)
|| Murmansk, Russia: Dnepr-1 {{coord|67.79105|33.60823|name=370 Dnepr 1|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}} – {{convert|130|m|abbr=on}}

| tunnel,
industrial

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000021000|2.1 kt}}

|

|

| Ore crushing technology. Used methods developed in shots 366 and 415 to keep radioactivity out of broken ore body.

|-

! 371 Region 1{{anchor|371 Region 1}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|9|21}} 09:00:00.3

| style="text-align:center;" | SVET (5 hrs)
|| Orenburg, Russia: R-1 {{coord|52.118|52.068|name=371 Region 1|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}} – {{convert|490|m|abbr=on}}

| underground shaft,
seismic sounding

|

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

|

|

| Seismic probing program. 21 km SSW Buzuluk.

|-

! 373{{anchor|373}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|11|2}} 01:27:00.2

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1061 {{coord|49.92697|78.81725|name=373|display=inline}}

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

| underground shaft,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|001650000|165 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 374 Region 2{{anchor|374 Region 2}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|11|24}} 09:00:00.0

| style="text-align:center;" | SVET (5 hrs)
|| Orenburg, Russia: R-2 {{coord|51.99|51.867|name=374 Region 2|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}} – {{convert|680|m|abbr=on}}

| underground shaft,
seismic sounding

|

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

|

|

| Seismic probing program. 90 km SSW Buzuluk.

|-

! 375 Region 5{{anchor|375 Region 5}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|11|24}} 10:00:00.2

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Kostanay, Kazakhstan: R-5 {{coord|51.84143|64.21328|name=375 Region 5|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}} – {{convert|425|m|abbr=on}}

| underground shaft,
seismic sounding

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000066000|6.6 kt}}

|

|

| Seismic probing program. 170 km SSE Kustonay.

|-

! 376 - 1{{anchor|376}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|12|10}} 04:27:00.0

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: Z-2 {{coord|49.82353|78.07857|name=376 - 1|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000660|}}{{convert|660|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000580000|58 kt}}

|

|

|

|-

! 376 - 2{{anchor|376}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|12|10}} 04:27:00

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 140 {{coord|49.8194|78.0582|name=376 - 2|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000646|}}{{convert|646|m|abbr=on}} +

| tunnel,
weapons development

|

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

|

|

|

|-

! 377{{anchor|377}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|12|10}} 04:27:10.0

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1204 {{coord|50.02772|78.99545|name=377|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}}{{convert|330|m|abbr=on}} – {{convert|378|m|abbr=on}}

| underground shaft,
peaceful research

|

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|001400000|140 kt}}

| Venting detected

|

|

|-

! 378{{anchor|378}}

| {{dts|format=dmy|1972|12|28}} 04:27:00.0

| style="text-align:center;" | ALMT (6 hrs)
|| Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 25pp {{coord|49.74209|78.10206|name=378|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000739|}}{{convert|739|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 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 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| 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 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|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 }}

{{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=August 12, 2014| date=10 April 2004| pages=1–42| bibcode=2005S&GS...13....1K| s2cid=122069080}}

{{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}}

}}

1972

Category:1972 in the Soviet Union

Category:1972 in military history

Category:Explosions in 1972