1979 Soviet nuclear tests explained

1979
Picture Description:	Nuclear blast animation
Country:	Soviet Union
Test Site:	Atyrau, Kazakhstan; Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan; Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan; Donetsk, Ukraine; Khanty-Mansi, Russia; Krasnoyarsk, Russia; NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia; Sakha, Russia; Sary-Uzen/Murzhik, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan
Period:	1979
Number Of Tests:	31
Test Type:	underground shaft, tunnel
Max Yield:	150ktTNT
Next Series:	1980 Soviet nuclear tests

The Soviet Union's 1979 nuclear test series was a group of 31 nuclear tests conducted in 1979. These tests ^[1] followed the 1978 Soviet nuclear tests series and preceded the 1980 Soviet nuclear tests series.

Soviet Union's 1979 series tests and detonations
- !style="background:#ffdead;"	Name ^[2] !style="background:#efefef;"	Date time (UT) !style="background:#ffdead;"	Local time zone^[3] ^[4] !style="background:#efefef;"	Location^[5] !style="background:#ffdead;"	Elevation + height ^[6] !style="background:#efefef;"	Delivery, ^[7] Purpose ^[8] !style="background:#efefef;"	Device^[9] !style="background:#ffdead;"	Yield^[10] !style="background:#efefef;" class="unsortable"	Fallout^[11] !style="background:#ffdead;" class="unsortable"	References !style="background:#efefef;" class="unsortable"	Notes	- ! 512 Galit A2.6 (Halite)	08:00:00.0	SHET (5 hrs)	Atyrau, Kazakhstan: A-II-7 47.909°N 47.912°W	– 600m (2,000feet)	underground shaft, cavity excavation					Create reservoirs for gas storage. A fizzle.	- ! 513 Galit A8 (Halite) - 1	07:59:58.5	SHET (5 hrs)	Atyrau, Kazakhstan: A-VIII 47.9187°N 48.1238°W	– 1000m (3,000feet)	underground shaft, cavity excavation			Venting detected		Create reservoirs for gas storage.	- ! 513 Galit A8 (Halite) - 2	07:59:58.5	SHET (5 hrs)	Atyrau, Kazakhstan: A-VIII 47.9187°N 48.1238°W	+	underground shaft, cavity excavation			Venting detected		Create reservoirs for gas storage.	- ! 514	04:13:00.17	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1006 50.0859°N 78.8514°W	330m (1,080feet) +	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! 515 - 1	04:04:00.5	ALMT (6 hrs)	Sary-Uzen/Murzhik, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 109 49.9655°N 77.6708°W	460m (1,510feet) +	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! 515 - 2	04:04:01	ALMT (6 hrs)	Sary-Uzen/Murzhik, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 2803 49.9655°N 77.6708°W	460m (1,510feet) +	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! 516		ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 115p 49.8117°N 78.1593°W	602m (1,975feet) +	tunnel, safety experiment						- ! 517		ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 115p 49.8113°N 78.1624°W	602m (1,975feet) +	tunnel, safety experiment						- ! 518 - 1	03:17:00.07	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 701p 49.7643°N 77.9993°W	704m (2,310feet) +	tunnel, weapons development						- ! 518 - 2	03:17:00.1	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 701p 49.7643°N 77.9993°W	704m (2,310feet) +	tunnel, weapons development						- ! 519 - 1	05:55:00.05	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 141 49.8177°N 78.0676°W	745m (2,444feet) +	tunnel, weapons development						- ! 519 - 2	05:55:00.1	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 141 49.8177°N 78.0676°W	745m (2,444feet) +	tunnel, weapons development						- ! 519 - 3	05:55:00.1	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 141 49.8177°N 78.0676°W	745m (2,444feet) +	tunnel, weapons development						- ! 519 - 4	05:55:00	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 136p 49.8268°N 78.0685°W	638m (2,093feet) +	tunnel, weapons development						- ! 520		ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 115-ppp 49.8109°N 78.1651°W	602m (1,975feet) +	tunnel, safety experiment						- ! 521	02:57:00.11	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1223 49.9161°N 78.8446°W	330m (1,080feet) +	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! 522 - 1	03:46:59.87	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1225 50.04°N 78.9896°W	330m (1,080feet) +	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! 522 - 2	03:46:59.9	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1225 50.04°N 78.9896°W	330m (1,080feet) +	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! 523 Galit A11 (Halite) - 1	04:59:58.0	SHET (5 hrs)	Atyrau, Kazakhstan: A-XI 47.882°N 48.1201°W	– 980m (3,220feet)	underground shaft, cavity excavation					Create reservoirs for gas storage.	- ! 523 Galit A11 (Halite) - 2	04:59:58.0	SHET (5 hrs)	Atyrau, Kazakhstan: A-XI 47.882°N 48.1201°W	+	underground shaft, cavity excavation					Create reservoirs for gas storage.	- ! 523 Galit A11 (Halite) - 3	04:59:58.0	SHET (5 hrs)	Atyrau, Kazakhstan: A-XI 47.882°N 48.1201°W	+	underground shaft, cavity excavation					Create reservoirs for gas storage.	- ! 524	03:17:04.92	ALMT (6 hrs)	Sary-Uzen/Murzhik, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 2613 49.9206°N 77.8134°W	460m (1,510feet) +	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! 525	03:17:04.9	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 195p 49.7791°N 78.1027°W	600m (2,000feet) +	tunnel, fundamental science						- ! 526 - 1	03:56:59.67	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1085 49.9047°N 78.8863°W	330m (1,080feet) +	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! 526 - 2	03:56:59.7	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1085 49.9047°N 78.8863°W	330m (1,080feet) +	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! 527 Kimberlit 4 (Kimberlite)	18:00:00.2	YAKT (9 hrs)	Sakha, Russia: KM-4 61.803°N 122.43°W	– 980m (3,220feet)	underground shaft, seismic sounding					Seismic probing program.	- ! 528 - 1	02:51:59.71	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1226 49.9485°N 78.9185°W	330m (1,080feet) +	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! 528 - 2	02:51:59.7	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1226 49.9485°N 78.9185°W	330m (1,080feet) +	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! 529 Kimberlit 3 (Kimberlite)	18:00:00.3	KRAT (7 hrs)	Krasnoyarsk, Russia: KM-3 64.11°N 99.562°W	– 600m (2,000feet)	underground shaft, seismic sounding					Seismic probing program. 35 km SW Tura, Krasnoyarsk.	- ! 530 Klivazh (Cleavage)	09:00:00.0	MSK (3 hrs)	Donetsk, Ukraine: Yunkom Mine 48.2134°N 38.2816°W	– 900m (3,000feet)	tunnel, industrial, free methane gas, to lower danger of explosion				^[12]	The mine resumed normal operations the following day	- ! 531 - 1	03:29:58.75	MSK (3 hrs)	NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-32 73.343°N 54.672°W	100m (300feet) – 500m (1,600feet)	tunnel, weapons development			Venting detected on site, 170Ci			- ! 531 - 2	03:29:58.8	MSK (3 hrs)	NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-32 73.343°N 54.672°W	100m (300feet) +	tunnel, weapons development						- ! 531 - 3	03:29:58.8	MSK (3 hrs)	NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-32 73.343°N 54.672°W	100m (300feet) +	tunnel, weapons development						- ! 532	04:13:00.0	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 175p 49.75°N 78.0399°W	682m (2,238feet) +	tunnel, weapon effect						- ! 533 Kimberlit 1 (Kimberlite)	16:00:00.0	SVET (5 hrs)	Khanty-Mansi, Russia: KM-1 60.675°N 71.455°W	– 840m (2,760feet)	underground shaft, seismic sounding					Seismic probing program. 122 km SW Surgut.	- ! 534 Sheksna (Neva)	21:00:00.2	YAKT (9 hrs)	Sakha, Russia: 47 61.85°N 113.1°W	– 1550m (5,090feet)	underground shaft, oil stimulation					Oil recovery intensification.	- ! 535 - 1	04:17:00.11	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 128 49.82°N 78.1003°W	659m (2,162feet) +	tunnel, weapons development						- ! 535 - 2	04:17:00.1	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 128 49.82°N 78.1003°W	659m (2,162feet) +	tunnel, weapons development						- ! 536 - 1	07:09:58.75	MSK (3 hrs)	NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-20 73.316°N 54.816°W	100m (300feet) – 500m (1,600feet)	tunnel, weapons development			Venting detected on site, 40Ci			- ! 536 - 2	07:09:58.8	MSK (3 hrs)	NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-20 73.316°N 54.816°W	100m (300feet) +	tunnel, weapons development						- ! 536 - 3	07:09:58.8	MSK (3 hrs)	NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-20 73.316°N 54.816°W	100m (300feet) +	tunnel, weapons development						- ! 536 - 4	07:09:58.8	MSK (3 hrs)	NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-20 73.316°N 54.816°W	100m (300feet) +	tunnel, weapons development						- ! 537 Galit A10 (Halite) - 1	05:59:59.0	SHET (5 hrs)	Atyrau, Kazakhstan: A-X 47.8524°N 48.1433°W	– 850m (2,790feet)	underground shaft, cavity excavation					Create reservoirs for gas storage.	- ! 537 Galit A10 (Halite) - 2	05:59:59.0	SHET (5 hrs)	Atyrau, Kazakhstan: A-X 47.8524°N 48.1433°W	+	underground shaft, cavity excavation						- ! 538 - 1	03:16:59.55	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1224 49.9976°N 78.9945°W	330m (1,080feet) +	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! 538 - 2	03:16:59.6	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1224 49.9976°N 78.9945°W	330m (1,080feet) +	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! 539	04:53:00.58	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 192p 49.7794°N 78.0953°W	635m (2,083feet) +	tunnel, weapons development						- ! 540 - 1	04:37:00.06	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1309 49.9102°N 78.7846°W	330m (1,080feet) +	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! 540 - 2	04:37:00.1	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1309 49.9102°N 78.7846°W	330m (1,080feet) +	underground shaft, fundamental science						- ! 541	04:42:00.09	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 802p 49.7957°N 78.123°W	727m (2,385feet) +	tunnel, weapons development						- ! 542 - 1	04:56:59.9	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: Glubokaya-1 49.9334°N 78.7511°W	330m (1,080feet) +	underground shaft, weapons development						- ! 542 - 2	04:56:59.9	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: Glubokaya-1 49.9334°N 78.7511°W	330m (1,080feet) +	underground shaft, weapons development

Notes and References

A bomb test may be a salvo test, defined as two or more explosions "where a period of time between successive individual explosions does not exceed 5 seconds and where the burial points of all explosive devices can be connected by segments of straight lines, each of them connecting two burial points and does not exceed 40 kilometers in length". V. N. . Mikhailov. Catalog of World Wide Nuclear Testing. Begell-Atom, LLC. 2013-12-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20140426102201/http://www.iss-atom.ru/ksenia/catal_nt/1.htm. 2014-04-26. dead.
The US, France and Great Britain have code-named their test events, while the USSR and China did not, and therefore have only test numbers (with some exceptions - Soviet peaceful explosions were named). Word translations into English in parentheses unless the name is a proper noun. A dash followed by a number indicates a member of a salvo event. The US also sometimes named the individual explosions in such a salvo test, which results in "name1 - 1(with name2)". If test is canceled or aborted, then the row data like date and location discloses the intended plans, where known.
To convert the UT time into standard local, add the number of hours in parentheses to the UT time; for local daylight saving time, add one additional hour. If the result is earlier than 00:00, add 24 hours and subtract 1 from the day; if it is 24:00 or later, subtract 24 hours and add 1 to the day. Historical time zone data obtained from the IANA time zone database.
Web site: Time Zone Historical Database. iana.com. March 8, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140311224729/http://www.ietf.org/timezones/. 2014-03-11. dead.
Rough place name and a latitude/longitude reference; for rocket-carried tests, the launch location is specified before the detonation location, if known. Some locations are extremely accurate; others (like airdrops and space blasts) may be quite inaccurate. "~" indicates a likely pro-forma rough location, shared with other tests in that same area.
Elevation is the ground level at the point directly below the explosion relative to sea level; height is the additional distance added or subtracted by tower, balloon, shaft, tunnel, air drop or other contrivance. For rocket bursts the ground level is "N/A". In some cases it is not clear if the height is absolute or relative to ground, for example, Plumbbob/John. No number or units indicates the value is unknown, while "0" means zero. Sorting on this column is by elevation and height added together.
Atmospheric, airdrop, balloon, gun, cruise missile, rocket, surface, tower, and barge are all disallowed by the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Sealed shaft and tunnel are underground, and remained useful under the PTBT. Intentional cratering tests are borderline; they occurred under the treaty, were sometimes protested, and generally overlooked if the test was declared to be a peaceful use.
Include weapons development, weapon effects, safety test, transport safety test, war, science, joint verification and industrial/peaceful, which may be further broken down.
Designations for test items where known, "?" indicates some uncertainty about the preceding value, nicknames for particular devices in quotes. This category of information is often not officially disclosed.
Estimated energy yield in tons, kilotons, and megatons. A ton of TNT equivalent is defined as 4.184 gigajoules (1 gigacalorie).
Radioactive emission to the atmosphere aside from prompt neutrons, where known. The measured species is only iodine-131 if mentioned, otherwise it is all species. No entry means unknown, probably none if underground and "all" if not; otherwise notation for whether measured on the site only or off the site, where known, and the measured amount of radioactivity released.
News: Disaster in the making. Denys. Kazanskyi. . 16 April 2018.