No problems seen in subcritical nuclear test

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Wednesday, May 26, 2004 | 9:21 a.m.

The National Nuclear Security Administration's Los Alamos National Laboratory conducted a subcritical experiment at the Nevada Test Site without complications Tuesday, a spokesman said.

The experiment, named "Armando," was initiated at noon at the Test Site, about 85 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

A very small amount of plutonium was bombarded with a high-explosive shock wave and the results were measured in a cavern 960 feet beneath the desert's surface, National Nuclear Security Administration spokesman Darwin Morgan said.

This was the 21st subcritical test conducted at the Test Site since 1997. The experiments are subcritical because there is no nuclear explosion, no critical mass formed and no self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction, Morgan said.

The explosion was contained in steel sphere. No radiation was released from the experiment, Morgan said.

Subcritical experiments produce essential scientific data and technical information used to keep the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile safe and reliable, proponents of the tests say.