| Nuclear testing is experimentation with
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| | large amounts of nuclear fallout due to
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| nuclear weapons. Throughout the twentieth
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| | irradiation of the debris. High-altitude
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| century, most nations that have developed
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| | nuclear tests can generate an
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| nuclear weapons have staged tests of
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| | electromagnetic pulse, and charged
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| them. Testing nuclear weapons can yield
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| | particles resulting from the blast can
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| information about how the weapons work,
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| | cross hemispheres to create an auroral
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| as well as how the weapons behave under
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| | display.
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| various conditions and how structures
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| | Underwater testing results from nuclear
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| behave when subjected to nuclear
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| | devices being detonated underwater,
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| explosions. Additionally, nuclear testing
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| | usually moored to a ship or a barge
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| has often been used as an indicator of
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| | (which is subsequently destroyed by the
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| scientific and military strength, and
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| | explosion). Tests of this nature have
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| many tests have been overtly political in
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| | usually been conducted to evaluate the
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| their intention; most nuclear weapons
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| | effects of nuclear weapons against naval
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| states publicly declared their nuclear
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| | vessels (such as in Operation
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| status by means of a nuclear test.
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| | Crossroads), or to evaluate potential
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| The first atomic test was detonated by
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| | sea-based nuclear weapons (such as
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| the United States at the Trinity site on
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| | nuclear torpedoes or depth-charges).
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| July 16, 1945, with a yield approximately
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| | Underwater tests close to the surface can
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| equivalent to 20 kilotons. The first
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| | disperse large amounts of radioactive
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| hydrogen bomb, codenamed "Mike", was
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| | water and steam, contaminating nearby
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| tested at the Enewetak atoll in the
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| | ships or structures.
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| Marshall Islands on November 1, 1952,
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| | Underground testing refers to nuclear
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| also by the United States. The largest
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| | tests which are conducted under the
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| nuclear weapon ever tested was the "Tsar
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| | surface of the earth, at varying depths.
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| Bomba" of the Soviet Union at Novaya
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| | Underground nuclear testing made up the
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| Zemlya on October 30, 1961, with an
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| | majority of nuclear tests by the United
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| estimated yield of around 50 megatons.
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| | States and the Soviet Union during the
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| In 1963, all nuclear and many non-nuclear
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| | Cold War, on account of other forms of
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| states signed the Limited Test Ban
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| | nuclear testing being banned by the
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| Treaty, pledging to refrain from testing
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| | Limited Test Ban Treaty in 1963. When the
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| nuclear weapons in the atmosphere,
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| | explosion is fully contained, underground
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| underwater, or in outer space. The treaty
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| | nuclear testing emits a negligible amount
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| permitted underground tests. France
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| | of fallout. However, underground nuclear
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| continued atmospheric testing until 1974,
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| | tests can "vent" to the surface,
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| while China continued up until 1980. The
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| | producing considerable amounts of
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| last underground test by the United
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| | radioactive debris as a consequence.
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| States was in 1992, the Soviet Union in
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| | Underground testing can result in seismic
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| 1990, the United Kingdom in 1991, and
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| | activity depending on the yield of the
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| both France and China continued testing
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| | nuclear device, and generally result in
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| up until 1996. After adopting the
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| | the creation of subsidence craters. In
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| Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in 1996,
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| | 1976, the United States and the USSR
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| all of these states have pledged to
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| | agreed to limit the maximum yield of
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| discontinue all nuclear testing.
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| | underground tests to 150 kt with the
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| Non-signatories India and Pakistan both
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| | Threshold Test Ban Treaty.
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| last tested nuclear weapons in 1998.
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| | Separately from these designations,
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| The most recent nuclear test was
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| | nuclear tests are also often categorized
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| announced by North Korea on October 9,
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| | by the purpose of the test itself. Tests
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| 2006. See 2006 North Korean nuclear test
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| | which are designed to garner information
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| for more information.
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| | about how (and if) the weapons themselves
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| Types of nuclear testing
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| | work are weapons related tests, while
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| Nuclear weapons tests have been
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| | tests designed to gain information about
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| historically broken into categories (by
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| | the effects of the weapons themselves on
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| treaties) reflecting in what sort of
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| | structures or organisms are known as
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| medium or location the test has been
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| | weapons effects tests. Additional types
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| conducted: atmospheric, underwater, and
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| | of nuclear tests are possible as well
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| underground.
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| | (such as nuclear tests which are also
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| Atmospheric testing designates explosions
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| | part of anti-ballistic missile testing).
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| which take place in or above the
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| | Nuclear-weapons-related testing which
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| atmosphere. Generally these have occurred
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| | purposely results in no yield is known as
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| as devices detonated on towers, balloons,
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| | subcritical testing, referring to the
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| barges, islands, or dropped from
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| | lack of a creation of a critical mass of
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| airplanes. A limited number of
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| | fissile material. Additionally, there
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| high-altitude nuclear explosions also
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| | have been non-nuclear simulations of
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| conducted, generally fired from rockets.
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| | nuclear tests using conventional
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| Nuclear explosions which are close enough
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| | explosives (such as the Minor Scale U.S.
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| to the ground to draw dirt and debris
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| | test in 1985).
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| into their mushroom cloud can generate
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