Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/11681/12116
Title: Winter tests of artillery firing into Eagle River Flats, Fort Richardson, Alaska
Authors: United States. Army. Infantry Division, 6th
Collins, Charles M.
Calkins, Darryl J.
Keywords: Artillery
High-explosive projectiles
White Phosphorus
WP
Eagle River (Anchorage, Alaska)
Fort Richardson (Alaska)
Ice-covered terrain
Publisher: Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (U.S.)
Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.)
Series/Report no.: Special report (Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (U.S.)) ; 95-2.
Description: Special Report
Abstract: Winter tests of artillery firing were conducted in the Eagle River Flats impact range to determine the physical effects of exploding high-explosive (HE) projectiles on the ice-covered terrain. Eagle River Flats is an estuary at the mouth of the Eagle River used as the artillery impact range for Ft. Richardson. The Army suspended use of the impact range following the discovery that white phosphorus (WP) deposited in the salt marsh was responsible for large numbers of waterfowl deaths each summer. The purpose of these tests was to assess if seasonal firing of HE projectiles from 60- and 81-mm mortars and 105-mm howitzers into Eagle River Flats could be resumed without significantly disturbing the sediments contaminated with WP. The results of the test firings indicated that a minimum of 25 cm of ice over frozen sediment or a minimum of 30 cm of floating ice over shallow water was required to prevent disturbance of the WP-contaminated sediment by exploding 105-mm howitzer projectiles. Only 10 cm of ice was required to prevent disturbance by exploding 60- and 81-mm mortar projectiles.
Rights: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/11681/12116
Appears in Collections:Special Report

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