EFFECT ON OCEAN

Chronicle (Levin), 30 March 1946, Page 5

EFFECT ON OCEAN

ATOMIC BOMB TESTS POSSIBILITY OF EXPLOSION Received Friday, 9.20 p.m. NEW YORK, MHrcn 29. The possibility that the Pacilu Ocean, or part- of it, might expioae m the atomic bomb tests was discusse.. privately at a meeting of the .American Association for tbe Advaneement oi Science. The conclusion reacned was that a reaction of the water ex-ploding might begin, but would not continue. It was reported tbat an expiosi-Ot-under water would cliange the watex into hydrogen and oxygen, which wou'ld commence a chain reaction, in which the atomic exp/osion would spread ih the water itself, because of the bomb';t> •intense heat. Scientists believe there will be some' conversion of this sort. Furthermore, the hydrogen is likely ix explode, because of the large amount oi oxygen created with it, but it is no-. likely to continue because, wnen hydrogen explodes, it does not create sufficient heat to go on converting water into hydrogen and oxygen. The State Department released a pian for controlling the atomic bomb. The report recommends tbe creation oi' an international atomic development «authority (ADA) as the sole producer Oj. the world 's fissionable materiais, wliicil. would be leased to science and industry. The plan contemplates ultimateiy hand ing oVer to ADA the knowledge at pres ent possessed exclusively by the Ifniteu States; also the ownership of the Oan ridge and I-Iartford plants, in which the atomic bombs are manufactured. The ownership of all uranium mines and also all plants processing atomit. energy material would be invested in. ADA under a world agreement making national and private ownership illegaJ The energy material would be denaturea and rendered unsuitable for bombs an then issued to secondary plants through out the world for scientific, medicina. and industrial use. ADA would cbnduct nuclear research and also retain the sof authority for carrying out research oh atomic explosives. The plan explains that, because large scale plants would be necessary to maki denatured materiais suitable for bombs consequent conStruction activities coul; not be carried out without, detection The report said that, despite experts belief that -denatured materiais were a.; present unsuitable for bombs without1 complicated treatment, the situatioi might be changed by developments thu: far considered lmpossible. The report concludes: "When thplan is operating fully, there will be ni secrets about atomic energy. We be lieve this is the firmest basis for secur ity, because in the long term there can not he international cooperation an; control without the presupposition oi international community knowledge."