High-speed photography of the first hydrogen-bomb explosion

Berlyn Brixner

doi:10.1117/12.145815

1 January 1993 High-speed photography of the first hydrogen-bomb explosion

Berlyn Brixner

Proceedings Volume 1801, 20th International Congress on High Speed Photography and Photonics; (1993) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.145815
Event: 20th International Congress on High Speed Photography and Photonics, 1992, Victoria, BC, Canada

Abstract

Obtaining detailed photographs of the early stages of the first hydrogen bomb explosion in 1952 posed a number of problems. First, it was necessary to invent a continuous-access camera which could solve the problem that existing million-picture-per-second cameras were blind most of the time. The solution here was to alter an existing camera design so that two modified cameras could be mounted around a single high-speed rotating mirror. A second problem, acquiring the necessary lenses of precisely specified focal lengths, was solved by obtaining a large number of production lenses from war surplus salvage. A third hurdle to be overcome was to test the new camera at an A-bomb explosion. Finally, it was necessary to solve the almost impossible difficulty of building a safe camera shelter close to a megaton explosion. This paper describes the way these problems were solved. Unfortunately the successful pictures that were taken are still classified.

Citation Download Citation

Berlyn Brixner "High-speed photography of the first hydrogen-bomb explosion", Proc. SPIE 1801, 20th International Congress on High Speed Photography and Photonics, (1 January 1993); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.145815

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