Slow Motion Nuclear Explosion From the Tumbler-Snapper Test Series in Nevada, 1952, Photographed by a Rapatronic Camera

1776 Patriot

State College, PA · 4 months ago

"The “spikes” seen in early high-speed film footage of nuclear detonations are intense beams or streaks of light that radiate outward from the fireball in the first microseconds. They come from irregularities in the bomb casing, tower, or surroundings—tiny gaps, bolts, or cables that reflect and channel the early flash of thermal radiation. The initial burst is so bright that even minor structural details can cast sharp light patterns, captured as “spikes” in photographs."