Atomic Weapons Tests—Minor Trials

The report of the Royal Commission indicates that these trials were conducted at Emu Field and Maralinga in 1953 and 1954 and at Maralinga in 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961 and 1963. Although the AWTSC had responsibility to see that they were conducted without risk to the Australian population it appears that the designation minor persuaded the AWTSC to nominate the meteorologists present in support of the 'minor' trials as their representative. G. U. Wilson and Bob Southern were two of the Bureau's meteorologists who participated in the minor trials but as Bob points out the nature of the trials was classified top secret and meteorologists were not informed of the nature of any hazardous material involved in the trials.

The Royal Commission report lists 321 Tims trials between 1955 and 1961 and in 1963, 125 Rats trials in 1956 and 1960, 31 Vixen A trials between 1959 and 1961 and 12 Vixen B trials in 1960, 1961 and 1963. There were also Kittens trials at Emu Field and Maralinga in 1953 and 1954.

Kittens, Tims and Rats trials were to assist the design of the nuclear weapon. Vixen A trials attempted to study the effect of a nuclear weapon being involved in an accidental fire. Vixen B trials attempted a study of the effect of the detonation of high explosives near a nuclear weapon.

The Royal Commission report gives the impression that these tests were ill-conceived and poorly managed. Almost 1 kg of plutonium was used in the Vixen A trials, of which half was dispersed near the site of the trials at Maralinga. Vixen B trials used 22 kg of plutonium which left a serious contamination of the site.

Meteorological teams at 'minor trials' were involved in making forecasts and meteorological observations at the site of the trials.

Bureau of Meteorology