Vela Uniform was an element ofProject Vela conducted jointly by theUnited States Department of Energy and theAdvanced Research Projects Agency. Its purpose was to developseismic methods for detectingunderground nuclear testing, and it involved many experts from academia, the sponsoring military agencies and theAtomic Energy Commission.
Vela Uniform incorporated seven underground nuclear tests in the continentalUnited States andAlaska from October 1963 to July 1971. Seismic traces from multiple locations were analyzed for each of these events to develop methods for differentiating underground nuclear tests from other seismic events (such asearthquakes) and locating the test site. The program also involved numerous experiments using conventional high explosives.
| Test name | Date | Location | Yield | Test series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoal | 1963-10-26 | Sand Springs Range39°12′00″N118°22′52″W / 39.20012°N 118.38124°W /39.20012; -118.38124 (Shoal) | 12 kt | Niblick |
| Salmon | 1964-10-22 | Salmon Site31°08′32″N89°34′12″W / 31.14229°N 89.57001°W /31.14229; -89.57001 (Salmon) | 5.3 kt | Whetstone |
| Long Shot | 1965-10-29 | Amchitka Island, Alaska51°26′14″N179°10′49″E / 51.43709°N 179.18032°E /51.43709; 179.18032 (Long Shot) | 80 kt | Flintlock |
| Sterling | 1966-12-03 | Salmon Site31°08′32″N89°34′12″W / 31.14229°N 89.57001°W /31.14229; -89.57001 (Sterling) | 380 t | Latchkey |
| Scroll | 1968-04-23 | Nevada Test Site37°20′16″N116°22′35″W / 37.33767°N 116.37647°W /37.33767; -116.37647 (Scroll) | < 20 kt | Crosstie |
| Diamond Dust | 1970-05-12 | Nevada Test Site37°00′37″N116°12′10″W / 37.0104°N 116.20277°W /37.0104; -116.20277 (Diamond Dust) | < 20 kt | Mandrel |
| Diamond Mine | 1971-07-01 | Nevada Test Site37°00′41″N116°12′15″W / 37.01148°N 116.20427°W /37.01148; -116.20427 (Diamond Mine) | < 20 kt | Grommet |