Van Allen Says Radiation Greater

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29906, 21 August 1962, Page 13

Van Allen Says Radiation Greater

(JV.z. Press Association—Copyright) BOULDER (Colorado), August 20. Dr. James Van Allen, who discovered the radiation belt which bears his name, told reporters today that the high-altitude nuclear test on July 9 had “considerably increased” the radiation of the lower reaches of the belt.

A new belt ranged, he said, from an altitude of 250 miles to about 100 miles. The Van Allen belt itself stretched from an altitude of some 400 miles to about 40,000 miles. Dr. Van Allen said that, together with colleagues, he had been studying variations in the radiation of the belt by using the United States scientific satellite, Injun, launched in June last year.

Dr. Van Allen described the new radiation belt as “an interesting phenomenon,” adding that a similar belt had been formed after high-alti-tude tests carried out in 1958 Dr. James Warwick, of the High Altitude Observatory in Boulder, said the explosion produced a great intensification of the radiation ring around the earth. The new belt was probably a temporary layer under the inner pant of the Van Allen belt. “By temporary, I mean possibly months, or it may mean five years,” Dr Warwick told reporters “We are making constant observations and I hope that by September 1 we may have more information.

“The new belt has been detected by its emission of radio-frequency signals which may interfere with some radio-astronomy.” he said. It is technically possible for a nuclear weapon to be carried in an earth satellite and be dropped on a target with reasonable accuracy, according to testimony given recently to a United States

House of Representatives committee.

Questions about thia possible use of satellites were answered earlier this month by Mr Ivan Getting, president of Aerospace Corporation, a non-profit research organisation which advises the Air Force on space and missile problems. Appearing before a military sub-committee of the House Government Operations Committee, he said: “There is absolutely no question from a technical viewpoint that a nuclear bomb could be put into space. There is no question that technically it is conceivable to bring the bomb down . . . and hit a target with reasonable accuracy.”

In the portion of his testimony made public, Mr Getting said: "Questions of reliability, questions of national policy are involved, and also questions of cost. Is this a good way to do what you want to do? “Is this way more sensible, say, than the Minuteman (missile)? These things are under continuous scrutiny and analysis.”