1984 Soviet nuclear tests

See also: List of nuclear weapons tests of the Soviet Union

1984
Information
Country	Soviet Union
Test site	Astrakhan, Russia; Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan; Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan; Kemerovo, Russia; Khanty-Mansi, Russia; Komi, Russia; Murmansk, Russia; NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia; Perm, Russia; Western Kazakhstan
Period	1984
Number of tests	29
Test type	underground shaft, tunnel
Max. yield	150 kilotonnes of TNT (630 TJ)
Test series chronology
←  1983 Soviet nuclear tests 1985 Soviet nuclear tests  →

The Soviet Union's 1984 nuclear test series ^[1] was a group of 29 nuclear tests conducted in 1984. These tests ^{[note 1]} followed the 1983 Soviet nuclear tests series and preceded the 1985 Soviet nuclear tests series.

Soviet Union's 1984 series tests and detonations

Name [note 2]	Date time (UT)	Local time zone [note 3] [2]	Location [note 4]	Elevation + height [note 5]	Delivery, [note 6] Purpose [note 7]	Device [note 8]	Yield [note 9]	Fallout [note 10]	References	Notes
632	19 February 1984 03:57:05.92	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1331 49°54′01″N78°44′36″E / 49.90038°N 78.74324°E / 49.90038; 78.74324 (632)	330 m (1,080 ft) +	underground shaft, weapons development		49 kt		[1] [3] [4] [5] [6]
633	7 March 1984 02:39:08.86	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1308 50°03′20″N78°57′13″E / 50.05543°N 78.95372°E / 50.05543; 78.95372 (633)	330 m (1,080 ft) +	underground shaft, weapons development		42 kt		[1] [3] [4] [5] [6]
634	29 March 1984 05:19:10.75	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1335 49°54′43″N78°55′37″E / 49.91185°N 78.92689°E / 49.91185; 78.92689 (634)	330 m (1,080 ft) +	underground shaft, weapons development		83 kt		[1] [3] [4] [5] [6]
635 - 1	15 April 1984 03:17:11.46	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 190 49°45′00″N78°04′57″E / 49.7499°N 78.0824°E / 49.7499; 78.0824 (635 - 1)	650 m (2,130 ft) +	tunnel, weapons development		60 kt		[1] [3] [4] [5] [6]
635 - 2	15 April 1984 03:17:11.5	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 190 49°45′00″N78°04′57″E / 49.7499°N 78.0824°E / 49.7499; 78.0824 (635 - 2)	650 m (2,130 ft) +	tunnel, weapons development		unknown yield		[1] [3] [5] [6] [7]
636 - 1	25 April 1984 01:09:06.09	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1316 49°56′14″N78°51′02″E / 49.93727°N 78.8506°E / 49.93727; 78.8506 (636 - 1)	330 m (1,080 ft) +	underground shaft, weapons development		76 kt		[1] [3] [4] [5] [6]
636 - 2	25 April 1984 01:09:06.1	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1316 49°56′14″N78°51′02″E / 49.93727°N 78.8506°E / 49.93727; 78.8506 (636 - 2)	330 m (1,080 ft) +	underground shaft, weapons development		unknown yield		[1] [3] [5] [6] [8]
637 - 1	26 May 1984 03:13:14.92	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1414 49°58′48″N79°00′22″E / 49.98011°N 79.00611°E / 49.98011; 79.00611 (637 - 1)	330 m (1,080 ft) +	underground shaft, weapons development		130 kt		[1] [3] [4] [5] [6]
637 - 2	26 May 1984 03:13:14.9	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1414 49°58′48″N79°00′22″E / 49.98011°N 79.00611°E / 49.98011; 79.00611 (637 - 2)	330 m (1,080 ft) +	underground shaft, weapons development		unknown yield		[1] [3] [5] [6] [8]
unnumbered #9	7 June 1984	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 129p 49°47′24″N78°06′32″E / 49.79°N 78.109°E / 49.79; 78.109 (unnumbered #9)	+	tunnel,		less than 0.001 kt		[1] [4] [5] [6] [7]
638 - 1	14 July 1984 01:09:13.08	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1344 49°54′34″N78°52′38″E / 49.90944°N 78.87722°E / 49.90944; 78.87722 (638 - 1)	330 m (1,080 ft) +	underground shaft, weapons development		135 kt		[1] [3] [4] [5] [6]
638 - 2	14 July 1984 01:09:13.1	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1344 49°54′34″N78°52′38″E / 49.90944°N 78.87722°E / 49.90944; 78.87722 (638 - 2)	330 m (1,080 ft) +	underground shaft, weapons development		unknown yield		[1] [3] [5] [6] [8]
639 Lira 4T (Lyra)	21 July 1984 02:59:59.8	URAT1 (6 hrs)	Western Kazakhstan: 4T 51°21′30″N53°19′11″E / 51.35832°N 53.31979°E / 51.35832; 53.31979 (639 Lira 4T (Lyra))	72 m (236 ft) – 850 m (2,790 ft)	underground shaft, cavity excavation		15 kt		[1] [4] [5] [6] [7]	Create reservoirs for gas storage.
640 Lira 6T (Lyra)	21 July 1984 03:04:59.7	URAT1 (6 hrs)	Western Kazakhstan: 6T 51°22′18″N53°20′08″E / 51.37168°N 53.33548°E / 51.37168; 53.33548 (640 Lira 6T (Lyra))	71 m (233 ft) – 960 m (3,150 ft)	underground shaft, cavity excavation		15 kt		[1] [4] [5] [6] [7]	Create reservoirs for gas storage.
641 Lira 5T (Lyra)	21 July 1984 03:09:59.9	URAT1 (6 hrs)	Western Kazakhstan: 5T 51°23′30″N53°20′59″E / 51.39165°N 53.34965°E / 51.39165; 53.34965 (641 Lira 5T (Lyra))	66 m (217 ft) – 840 m (2,760 ft)	underground shaft, cavity excavation		15 kt		[1] [4] [5] [6] [7]	Create reservoirs for gas storage.
642 Kvarts 2 (Quartz)	11 August 1984 19:00:00.2	MSK (3 hrs)	Komi, Russia: K-2 65°03′N55°06′E / 65.05°N 55.1°E / 65.05; 55.1 (642 Kvarts 2 (Quartz))	– 760 m (2,490 ft)	underground shaft, seismic sounding		85 kt		[1] [4] [5] [6] [7]	Seismic probing program.
643 Kvarts 3 (Quartz)	25 August 1984 19:00:00.3	SVET (5 hrs)	Khanty-Mansi, Russia: K-3 61°54′N72°06′E / 61.9°N 72.1°E / 61.9; 72.1 (643 Kvarts 3 (Quartz))	– 725 m (2,379 ft)	underground shaft, seismic sounding		8.5 kt		[1] [4] [5] [6] [7]	Seismic probing program.
644 Dynamika (Dynamic)	26 August 1984 03:30:??	MSK (3 hrs)	NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-100 73°24′N54°48′E / 73.4°N 54.8°E / 73.4; 54.8 (644 Dynamika (Dynamic))	100 m (330 ft) +	tunnel, weapon effect		600 t		[1] [5] [6] [7] [9]
645 Dnepr 2 - 1	27 August 1984 06:00:00.1	MSK (3 hrs)	Murmansk, Russia: Dnepr-2 67°49′13″N33°37′57″E / 67.82037°N 33.63255°E / 67.82037; 33.63255 (645 Dnepr 2 - 1)	– 180 m (590 ft)	tunnel, industrial		1.7 kt		[1] [4] [5] [6] [7]	Ore crushing technology.
645 Dnepr 2 - 2	27 August 1984 06:00:00	MSK (3 hrs)	Murmansk, Russia: Dnepr-2 67°49′13″N33°37′57″E / 67.82037°N 33.63255°E / 67.82037; 33.63255 (645 Dnepr 2 - 2)	– 160 m (520 ft)	tunnel, industrial		1.7 kt		[1] [5] [6] [7] [9]	Ore crushing technology.
646 Geliy 2 (Helium)	28 August 1984 02:59:59.8	SVET (5 hrs)	Perm, Russia: 402 60°18′N57°06′E / 60.3°N 57.1°E / 60.3; 57.1 (646 Geliy 2 (Helium))	– 2,065 m (6,775 ft)	underground shaft, oil stimulation		3.2 kt		[1] [4] [5] [6] [7]	Oil recovery intensification.
647 Geliy 2 (Helium)	28 August 1984 03:04:59.9	SVET (5 hrs)	Perm, Russia: 403 60°41′43″N57°30′04″E / 60.69531°N 57.50109°E / 60.69531; 57.50109 (647 Geliy 2 (Helium))	– 2,075 m (6,808 ft)	underground shaft, oil stimulation		3.2 kt		[1] [4] [5] [6] [7]	Oil recovery intensification.
648 - 1	9 September 1984 02:59:08.85	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 132 49°48′22″N78°05′59″E / 49.806°N 78.0997°E / 49.806; 78.0997 (648 - 1)	719 m (2,359 ft) +	tunnel, weapon effect		6 kt		[1] [3] [4] [5] [6]
648 - 2	9 September 1984 02:59:08.9	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 132 49°48′22″N78°05′59″E / 49.806°N 78.0997°E / 49.806; 78.0997 (648 - 2)	719 m (2,359 ft) +	tunnel, weapon effect		unknown yield		[1] [3] [5] [6] [7]
648 - 3	9 September 1984 02:59:08.9	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 132 49°48′22″N78°05′59″E / 49.806°N 78.0997°E / 49.806; 78.0997 (648 - 3)	719 m (2,359 ft) +	tunnel, weapon effect		unknown yield		[1] [3] [5] [6] [7]
648 - 4	9 September 1984 02:59:08.9	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 132 49°48′22″N78°05′59″E / 49.806°N 78.0997°E / 49.806; 78.0997 (648 - 4)	719 m (2,359 ft) +	tunnel, weapon effect		unknown yield		[1] [3] [5] [6] [7]
649 Kvartz 4 (Quartz)	17 September 1984 21:00:00.0	KRAT (7 hrs)	Kemerovo, Russia: K-4 55°50′02″N87°31′34″E / 55.834°N 87.526°E / 55.834; 87.526 (649 Kvartz 4 (Quartz))	271 m (889 ft) – 560 m (1,840 ft)	underground shaft, seismic sounding		10 kt		[1] [4] [5] [6] [7]	Seismic probing program.
650	18 October 1984 04:57:08.32	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 200M-bis 49°43′58″N78°05′55″E / 49.7328°N 78.0987°E / 49.7328; 78.0987 (650)	630 m (2,070 ft) – 106 m (348 ft)	tunnel, weapon effect		1.4 kt		[1] [3] [4] [5] [6]
unnumbered #10	25 October 1984	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 129-2p 49°47′24″N78°06′32″E / 49.79°N 78.109°E / 49.79; 78.109 (unnumbered #10)	+	tunnel,		less than 0.001 kt		[1] [4] [5] [6] [7]
651 - 1	25 October 1984 06:29:58.12	MSK (3 hrs)	NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-26 73°21′18″N54°59′24″E / 73.355°N 54.99°E / 73.355; 54.99 (651 - 1)	100 m (330 ft) – 500 m (1,600 ft)	tunnel, weapons development		110 kt	Venting detected off site, 1.1 MCi (41 PBq)	[1] [4] [5] [6] [10]
651 - 2	25 October 1984 06:29:58.1	MSK (3 hrs)	NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-26 73°21′18″N54°59′24″E / 73.355°N 54.99°E / 73.355; 54.99 (651 - 2)	100 m (330 ft) +	tunnel, weapons development		unknown yield		[1] [5] [6] [7] [9]
651 - 3	25 October 1984 06:29:58.1	MSK (3 hrs)	NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-26 73°21′18″N54°59′24″E / 73.355°N 54.99°E / 73.355; 54.99 (651 - 3)	100 m (330 ft) +	tunnel, weapons development		unknown yield		[1] [5] [6] [7] [9]
651 - 4	25 October 1984 06:29:58.1	MSK (3 hrs)	NZ Area B, Matochkin Shar, Novaya Zemlya, Russia: A-26 73°21′18″N54°59′24″E / 73.355°N 54.99°E / 73.355; 54.99 (651 - 4)	100 m (330 ft) +	tunnel, weapons development		unknown yield		[1] [5] [6] [7] [9]
654	27 October 1984 01:50:12.9	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1323 49°56′13″N78°56′05″E / 49.93693°N 78.9346°E / 49.93693; 78.9346 (654)	330 m (1,080 ft) +	underground shaft, weapons development		150 kt		[1] [3] [4] [5] [6]
652 Vega 14	27 October 1984 06:00:00.1	VOLT (4 hrs)	Astrakhan, Russia: 14RT 46°54′N48°09′E / 46.9°N 48.15°E / 46.9; 48.15 (652 Vega 14)	10 m (33 ft) – 850 m (2,790 ft)	underground shaft, cavity excavation		3.2 kt		[1] [4] [5] [6] [7]	Create reservoirs for gas storage. 35 km N Astrakhan.
653 Vega 15	27 October 1984 06:05:00.0	VOLT (4 hrs)	Astrakhan, Russia: 15RT 46°57′N48°06′E / 46.95°N 48.1°E / 46.95; 48.1 (653 Vega 15)	10 m (33 ft) – 950 m (3,120 ft)	underground shaft, cavity excavation		3.2 kt		[1] [4] [5] [6] [7]	Create reservoirs for gas storage. 35 km N Astrakhan.
655 - 1	23 November 1984 03:55:07.48	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 803-bis 49°49′03″N78°03′18″E / 49.8176°N 78.0551°E / 49.8176; 78.0551 (655 - 1)	732 m (2,402 ft) +	tunnel, weapons development		1.4 kt		[1] [3] [4] [5] [6]
655 - 2	23 November 1984 03:55:07.5	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 803-bis 49°49′03″N78°03′18″E / 49.8176°N 78.0551°E / 49.8176; 78.0551 (655 - 2)	732 m (2,402 ft) +	tunnel, weapons development		unknown yield		[1] [3] [5] [6] [7]
655 - 3	23 November 1984 03:55:07.5	ALMT (6 hrs)	Degelen, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 803-bis 49°49′03″N78°03′18″E / 49.8176°N 78.0551°E / 49.8176; 78.0551 (655 - 3)	732 m (2,402 ft) +	tunnel, weapons development		unknown yield		[1] [3] [5] [6] [7]
656 - 1	2 December 1984 03:19:08.94	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1411 50°00′35″N79°00′29″E / 50.00967°N 79.00793°E / 50.00967; 79.00793 (656 - 1)	330 m (1,080 ft) +	underground shaft, weapons development		79 kt		[1] [3] [4] [5] [6]
656 - 2	2 December 1984 03:19:08.9	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1411 50°00′35″N79°00′29″E / 50.00967°N 79.00793°E / 50.00967; 79.00793 (656 - 2)	330 m (1,080 ft) +	underground shaft, fundamental science		unknown yield		[1] [3] [5] [6] [8]
657 - 1	16 December 1984 03:55:05.19	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1313 49°56′49″N78°48′25″E / 49.94708°N 78.80683°E / 49.94708; 78.80683 (657 - 1)	330 m (1,080 ft) +	underground shaft, weapons development		137 kt		[1] [3] [4] [5] [6]
657 - 2	16 December 1984 03:55:05.2	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1313 49°56′49″N78°48′25″E / 49.94708°N 78.80683°E / 49.94708; 78.80683 (657 - 2)	330 m (1,080 ft) +	underground shaft, weapons development		unknown yield		[1] [3] [5] [6] [8]
658 - 1	28 December 1984 03:50:13.15	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1353 49°52′47″N78°42′10″E / 49.87984°N 78.7027°E / 49.87984; 78.7027 (658 - 1)	330 m (1,080 ft) +	underground shaft, weapons development		105 kt		[1] [3] [4] [5] [6]
658 - 2	28 December 1984 03:50:13.2	ALMT (6 hrs)	Balapan, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan: 1353 49°52′47″N78°42′10″E / 49.87984°N 78.7027°E / 49.87984; 78.7027 (658 - 2)	330 m (1,080 ft) +	underground shaft, peaceful research		unknown yield		[1] [3] [5] [6] [8]

1. A bomb test may be a salvo test, defined as two or more explosions "where a period of time between successive individual explosions does not exceed 5 seconds and where the burial points of all explosive devices can be connected by segments of straight lines, each of them connecting two burial points and does not exceed 40 kilometers in length". Mikhailov, V. N. "Catalog of World Wide Nuclear Testing". Begell-Atom, LLC. Archived from the original on 2014-04-26. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
2. The US, France and Great Britain have code-named their test events, while the USSR and China did not, and therefore have only test numbers (with some exceptions – Soviet peaceful explosions were named). Word translations into English in parentheses unless the name is a proper noun. A dash followed by a number indicates a member of a salvo event. The US also sometimes named the individual explosions in such a salvo test, which results in "name1 – 1(with name2)". If test is canceled or aborted, then the row data like date and location discloses the intended plans, where known.
3. To convert the UT time into standard local, add the number of hours in parentheses to the UT time; for local daylight saving time, add one additional hour. If the result is earlier than 00:00, add 24 hours and subtract 1 from the day; if it is 24:00 or later, subtract 24 hours and add 1 to the day. v
4. Rough place name and a latitude/longitude reference; for rocket-carried tests, the launch location is specified before the detonation location, if known. Some locations are extremely accurate; others (like airdrops and space blasts) may be quite inaccurate. "~" indicates a likely pro-forma rough location, shared with other tests in that same area.
5. Elevation is the ground level at the point directly below the explosion relative to sea level; height is the additional distance added or subtracted by tower, balloon, shaft, tunnel, air drop or other contrivance. For rocket bursts the ground level is "N/A". In some cases it is not clear if the height is absolute or relative to ground, for example, Plumbbob/John. No number or units indicates the value is unknown, while "0" means zero. Sorting on this column is by elevation and height added together.
6. Atmospheric, airdrop, balloon, gun, cruise missile, rocket, surface, tower, and barge are all disallowed by the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Sealed shaft and tunnel are underground, and remained useful under the PTBT. Intentional cratering tests are borderline; they occurred under the treaty, were sometimes protested, and generally overlooked if the test was declared to be a peaceful use.
7. Include weapons development, weapon effects, safety test, transport safety test, war, science, joint verification and industrial/peaceful, which may be further broken down.
8. Designations for test items where known, "?" indicates some uncertainty about the preceding value, nicknames for particular devices in quotes. This category of information is often not officially disclosed.
9. Estimated energy yield in tons, kilotons, and megatons. A ton of TNT equivalent is defined as 4.184 gigajoules (1 gigacalorie).
10. Radioactive emission to the atmosphere aside from prompt neutrons, where known. The measured species is only iodine-131 if mentioned, otherwise it is all species. No entry means unknown, probably none if underground and "all" if not; otherwise notation for whether measured on the site only or off the site, where known, and the measured amount of radioactivity released.

References

1. Yang, Xiaoping; North, Robert; Romney, Carl (August 2000). CMR Nuclear Explosion Database (Revision 3) (Technical report). SMDC Monitoring Research.
2. "Time Zone Historical Database". iana.com. Archived from the original on 2014-03-11. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
3. Khalturin, Vitaly I.; Rautian, Tatyana G.; Richards, Paul G. (2000). "Chemical explosions during 1961-1989 on the Semipalatinsk Test Site, Kazakhstan" (PDF). Pure and Applied Geophysics. 158: 143–171. doi:10.1007/pl00001153. S2CID   128953780. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
4. Cochran, Thomas B.; Arkin, William M.; Norris, Robert S.; Sands, Jeffrey I. Nuclear Weapons Databook Vol. IV: Soviet Nuclear Weapons. New York, NY: Harper and Row.
5. Podvig, Pavel, ed. (2001). Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. ISBN   9780262661812 . Retrieved January 9, 2014.
6. USSR Nuclear Weapons Tests and Peaceful Nuclear Explosions 1949 through 1990. Sarov, Russia: RFNC-VNIIEF. 1996. The official Russian list of Soviet tests.
7. Nuclear explosions in the USSR: The North Test Site reference material, version 4 (PDF) (Technical report). IAEA Dept. of Nuclear Safety and Security. December 1, 2004. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
8. Thurber, Clifford; Trabant, Chad; Haslinger, Florian; Hartog, Renate (2001). Nuclear explosion locations at the Balapan, Kazakhstan, nuclear test site: the effects of high-precision arrival times and three-dimensional structure. Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors (Technical report). Vol. 123. pp. 283–301. doi:10.1016/s0031-9201(00)00215-6 . Retrieved December 13, 2013.
9. Andrushkin, Vitaly V.; Leith, William (September 1, 2001). The containment of Soviet underground nuclear explosions (PDF) (Open File Report 01-312). USGS. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 9, 2013. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
10. Kim, Won-Young; Richards, Paul G.; Andrushkin, Vitaly; Ovtchinnikov, Vladimir (April 1, 2001). Borovoye digital seismogram archive for underground nuclear tests during 1966-1996 (PDF) (Technical report). LDEO. Retrieved December 13, 2013.