The Nuclear Test of 1945

January 31, 2011

Figure: G. I. Taylor, 1886 - 1975
Alamogordo, NM 1945
What Taylor Wanted to Do

Estimate the energy E released by the

nuclear explosion.
Read off time t and radius R from the
movie.
Assume E depends on t, R, and the
density ρ of the gas (air).
Use dimensional analysis and earlier work
done in 1941 (declassified in 1949).
Dimensions

[R] = L
[t] = T
[ρ] = ML−3
[E] = ML2 T −2
Since R depends on E, t, ρ

[R] = [E a t b ρc ]
and hence
L = M a L2a T −2a T b M c L−3c
Equating exponents, we obtain
1 = 2a − 3c, 0 = a + c, 0 = −2a + b
The solution is
1 2 1
a= , b= , c=−
5 5 5
Non-dimensional Group

Therefore
Rρ1/5
E 1/5 t 2/5
is non-dimensional and must be a constant.
Taylor found this constant back in 1941. It is
approximately 1.
Non-dimensional Group

Therefore
Rρ1/5
E 1/5 t 2/5
is non-dimensional and must be a constant.
Taylor found this constant back in 1941. It is
approximately 1.
Take Logarithms ...

Rρ1/5
=c
E 1/5 t 2/5
becomes
1 1 2
log R + log ρ − log E − log t = log c
5 5 5
or
5 1 1 5
log R = log t − log ρ + log E + log c
2 2 2 2
Some Frames from the Movie of 1945
Taylor Proc. Roy. Soc. A, volume 201, plate 7

."
r.~~~~~~~~~-

I~~~~~~ ~

I
.~~ 0 in ~~ ~~~

lOOmt
A Two Billion Dollar Plot

Plot 52 log R against log t. The result should be a

straight line.
Log-Log Plot
Taylor 1950

Taylor knew that

5 1 1 5
log R = log t − log ρ + log E + log c
2 2 2 2
He also knew ρ for air and the value of c. From
this he estimated the yield of the nuclear test:

E ≈ 16.8kT TNT