uh-uni sFEdfiixf- 7N0 Objection Io DecLassE salien in Part 2013 11 19 NLCu30w5w1 20w0 N November 9 1979 grease MEMORANDUM FDR sasszrasrr ONLY FROM AND TECHNOLOGY SUBJECT Evening Report Possible Nuclear Explosion Frank Press panel met last Thursday and Friday to review the September 22 possible nuclear explosion in the South Atlantic Although considerable work remains to be done the Panel has already come up with some interesting preliminary results which tend to make us somewhat skeptical that the Vela signal was actually caused by a nuclear explosion Specifically it found in 3 records of non nuclear bhangmeter signals some even ich were similar in some key aspects to nuclear bhangmeter signals attributes these other signals to small meteroids and if this is true it is entirely possible that the September 22 signal could have been caused by a meteroid of somewhat different velocity size and rotational motion In addition the September 22 signal itself differs in some important ways from previous nuclear signals S Combined with the absence of any corroborative data despite extensive aerial sampling these facts tended to make the panel somewhat skeptical that a nuclear explosion actually occured Just yesterday however DOE informed us that LASL scientists working at the Areciba ionospheric observatory in Puerto Rico had recorded an unusual acoustic disturbance on September 22 The signal from this disturbance is similar to some recorded during US and Soviet atmospheric tests in the early 1960s This-signal has a very different timescale however and the relationship between nuclear explosions and ionospheric disturbances is much less well understood than for optical signals recorded by bhangmeters Nevertheless this represents'the best lead yet in the search for corroborative data The OSTP panel will meet again in two or three weeks to review the results of ongoing work and prepare a final report S Action Plan on High Yi ld Testing As you know Cy Vance indicated he was satisfied with the Plan except that he preferred to have Herb York present sneer Review on November 9 1985 4 1 11 am 3 r it z'vatab if some ma a of - arct- - - 25 Ha at - Mike a Ant n tr-hs - N0 Objection To Deciass fication in Part 2013 11 19 Noijecfgion To Declassif cation in Part 2013 11 19 Acne our NSS proposal and wanted to de er t he test readiness steps Since the Pl an was the Soviet GTE deleeation Chairman has asked that the US p13v1dc tWo sets of N55 gear -- one for destructive analysis and one for operation in the tie USSR Our posposal is responsive to this request although protective of our interests by emphasizing joint installation and access to data and we agree that it should be made in Geneva S Accepting Vance's second point would he a serious mistake however and you should resolve it with him quickly to avoid a damaging leak Since there is new agreement on all of the Plan except for the test readiness steps Marcum plans to 11 proceed with an interagency meeting next Wednesday to begin its implementation We will attempt to minimize resentment over the delay on the readiness steps by asking DOE to give- H_m us a review of their costs and timescal-e before beginning -implementation 5 Three Mile Island Worked with Oplinger in coming up with the attached NSC comments on the undesirability of having the President support a nuclear moratorium U new Hr If SECRET 1- wet is 72 I W'imri sw slix Tex 1113 52-11115 31 113 1 Erik-gm his N0 Objection To Declassif cat on in Part 2013 11 19 NLC 30- 5 1 --20 0 This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu