Operation Distant Plain was a series of non-nuclear explosive and detonable gas tests performed on test sites in Alberta, Canada, during the course of 1966 and 1967. Their purpose was to provide airblast, cratering, and

ground shock A ground burst is the detonation of an explosive device such as an artillery shell, nuclear weapon or air-dropped bomb that explodes at ground level. These weapons are set off by fuses that are activated when the weapon strikes the ground or some ...

data in summer and winter conditions for testing new prototype equipment, military targets and coniferous forest blowdown, and defoliation. Participants included Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States under the Tripartite Technical Cooperation Program. Detonable

gas balloons A gas balloon is a balloon that rises and floats in the air because it is filled with a gas lighter than air (such as helium or hydrogen). When not in flight, it is tethered to prevent it from flying away and is sealed at the bottom to prevent ...

were used in this operation in an attempt to find an economical substitute for TNT as well as for the fact that they could be placed at desired heights without a heavy support structure or towers. In addition, they were more adaptable to airblast phenomena and produced a well defined blast wave without perturbation or ejecta; they also produced no crater. However, it was found that they lacked the high pressure associated with high explosives, and difficulties were encountered as the 20-ton gas balloon ruptured and another detonated unexpectedly during inflation. Ultimately ANFO was elected as a lower cost alternative to TNT for non-nuclear explosives tests.

Tests

The following table summarizes the events that took place during the operation in chronological order. File:DistantPlainGasDetonation.jpg, Detonation of 20 tons of propane-oxygen hemisphere in Event 2A. The blast wave can be seen affecting the smoke trails.

References

{{coord missing, Alberta Explosions in Canada Explosions in 1966 Explosions in 1967 1966 in Canada 1967 in Canada Military projects of the United States 1966 in military history 1967 in military history Distant Plain Science and technology in Alberta Events in Alberta DRDC Suffield