http://www.nv.doe.gov/news%26pubs/newsreleases/nr121400.htm

The U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory conducted Oboe 6 at 3:28 p.m. (PST) today, at the Nevada Test Site.

Data from monitoring instruments confirmed that the experiment was subcritical, that is, no self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction occurred.

Oboe 6 is the sixth in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Oboe series of subcritical experiments. The experiments are designed to answer questions about ejecta and spall associated with plutonium.

Subcritical experiments are scientific experiments to obtain technical information in support of the Department of Energy's program to maintain the safety and reliability of the nuclear weapons stockpile without underground nuclear testing.

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