Jornada del Muerto, New Mexico, U.S.
Photographer: Berlyn Brixner.
Cropped from the running reel of a motion picture camera, a black and white frame shows a rapidly forming mushroom cloud bellowing tons of gas and debris, milliseconds after the Trinity Gadget was detonated in a secluded location of the present-day White Sands Missile Base in July 1945 (see related Farbound.Net story: Shooting the atom).
How the Mushroom cloud forms.
One of the most widely recognized stages of an atomic explosion for its propensity to remain visible longer. The mushroom cloud, however, is the last stage of a high-speed sequence. That begins when the intense energy of an atomic fireball superheats the air within its sphere and causes it to rise rapidly. Which in turn creates an empty void that sucks in the surrounding cooler air, along with earth and debris.
This sequence that lasts till the atomic energy lasts, builds up into a powerful vortex. In which heated air continuously punches upwards at the centre while at the fringes cooler air, earth and debris spiral down the sides, pulled by the earth’s gravity. Forming what is essentially a frothy cloud of highly radioactive gas, heated air and neurons.
Once this frothy cloud reaches the stratosphere and comes in contact with the ozone layer. Which is already heated by solarization and almost equal in temperature. It stops its horizontal ascent and begins to spread out laterally to form the familiar shape of a mushroom cloud.
Though initially reddish-brown in colour. The cloud speedily turns white as rapid condensation occurs and the nitrogen oxide is replaced by water droplets. The formation of the cloud largely depends on the distance between the explosion and the ground.
If the explosion takes place high up in the air. There are fewer chances of a mushroom cloud forming. If on water, the cloud produced takes the shape of a cauliflower, and if detonated underground, it forms a crater.
Reaction upon witnessing the first atomic explosion.
On the 16th of July 1945, as the scientists, soldiers and technicians involved in producing the atomic explosion had gazed upon this phenomenal sight for the first time in history. Though the moment had been one of celebration and rejoicing. It had brought about a mixed reaction from the men and women who had struggled almost three years to bring the atomic project to fruition under tremendous pressure.
To Robert J. Oppenheimer, the man credited to be the father of the atomic age. The sight had reminded him of a phrase from the Bhagwat Gita. An ancient compilation of philosophies produced by Vedic Aryan poets – aeons before the birth of the atomic bomb.
A scholar with a philosophical bent of mind who had prefered to discuss philosophy with his colleagues even while at work. Oppenheimer had later explained the phrase, as quoted below:
I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagwat Gita: Vishnu is trying to persuade the prince (Arjuna) that he should do his duty and to impress him he takes on his multi-armed form and says, “Now I am death, the destroyer of worlds”. I suppose we all thought that one way or another.
Robert J. Oppenheimer , Trinity Test, 1945.
The underlying message in the phrase.
The phrase Oppenheimer made famous, comes from a chapter of the Gita which is titled the vision of the universal form. Its underlying message is that whatever happens in the universe has already been decreed by God and man simply needs to play the part he was born for.
In the epic poem Mahabharata, of which the Gita is an integral part. This discourse takes place at the beginning of a mythical battle. After Arjuna refuses to fight, upon seeing that his opponents are his cousins, friends and elders. Krishna encourages his friend to carry out his solemn duties with the words.
I am the terrible time. The destroyer of all beings in all worlds and presently engaged in destroying all beings in this world. Those mighty soldiers that you see before you, even without your participation, none will survive, for I have decreed so.
The phrase is also and popularly quoted as:
If the radiance of a thousand suns were to at once burst upon the sky that would be the radiance of the mighty one…now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds –
The Bhagwat gita
Oppenheimer’s fasination with eastern philoposhy.
Although Oppenheimer was not a Hindu but of German-Jewish parentage and a physicist at that too. He had harboured a deep fascination for eastern philosophy. While still a student at the University of Gottingen in Germany. He had mastered the difficult language of Sanskrit to read and comprehend this ancient philosophy.
As the man responsible for spearheading the atomic project. He at the time may likely have been struggling with his conscience. Knowing fully well the purpose of the weapon he had helped create.
Cities chosen by fate.
While the atom bombs were eventually released over Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. They had essentially been developed to be used against Nazi Germany. Many of the scientists responsible for producing the bombs, like Oppenheimer, were Jewish in faith and against Hitler’s anti-Jewish laws. Which during the second world war, brought about the deaths of millions of Jews.
The mushroom cloud that had formed on this day had towered almost 39,600 feet in height as a result of the amount of plutonium the Trinity Gadget had contained. Which had equalled 22 kilotons of TNT.
The device had been dropped from the top of a 100 feet high reinforced steel tower to mimic the conditions that would be produced when the actual bombs were released from the bomb bays of the B-29 bombers -assigned for the task.
The nuclear fallout.
The explosion is stated to have been felt not only in the state of New Mexico but also in three other neighbouring states. While the subsequent nuclear fallout was later discovered to have affected an even wider area.
At the time, an Eastman Kodak Factory located some 2,000 miles away in Rochester, New York, had found spots mysteriously developing on its sensitive x-ray films.
This later had been attributed to radiation. That was released in the air at Trinity.
The name Trinity is believed to have been also given by Oppenheimer. Reflecting both his interest in eastern philosophy and poetry. With the inspiration sometimes stated to have come to him from a holy sonnet he was immersed in reading back then. And other times from the Vedic concept of the three supreme gods of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Of the two, the fourteenth holy sonnet by the poet John Donne is more widely accepted to have inspired the code name of the nuclear test site.
This black and white frame that was captured by Brixner’s motion picture cameras on that day, is archived by the National Archives and Records Administration.
