当前位置: 首页 > 知识库

What Was the Vela Incident?

来源:四库百科 时间 : 2021-05-08 12:19:00 属于:Did You Know

A US Vela Hotel satellite captured the Vela Incident, also known as the South Atlantic Flash on September 22, 1979. The incident was a double flash of light that beamed off Antarctica near the Prince Edward Islands. To date, there is no official account of what caused the double flash leading to several hypotheses being advanced on the probable cause. Some sources claim that the incident was characteristic of a nuclear test while others believe that the flash was as a result of an aging satellite generating electrical signals. Other sources also claim that the lights were as a result of a meteor hitting a Vela satellite. Although investigations remain classified, investigators ruled out an explosion.

Detection of the Vela Incident

American Vela satellite 6911 detected the incident while on its routine check on nuclear-test explosions that breached the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. This satellite also had the capacity to detect x-rays, neutrons, and gamma rays. On this day, the satellite reported a possible nuclear explosion somewhere between the Crozet Islands and the Prince Edward Islands (South Africa territory) in the middle of the Indian Ocean. However, additional scanning using US and NATO equipment of the area did not give a sufficient conclusion. Furthermore, studies of wind patterns suggested an activity like an explosion. Initial assessment pointed to a low-yield nuclear explosion, but, US Airforce later released a statement clarifying that the event was not a nuclear explosion but may have been a bomb blast or some natural phenomena including a combination of lightning and a meteor. Much later, the United States National Security Council (NSC) revised this position as inconclusive and directed South Africa to shed more light on what had transpired near its overseas territory. Critics claim that the American President Jimmy Carter, who was facing re-election at the time, manipulated the investigations for a political mileage.

Possible Responsible Countries

Several nations became suspects for being responsible for the double flash including Israel, South Africa, USSR, India, Pakistan, and France.

Israel

Long before the incident, US intelligence suggested Israel had nuclear weapons. Furthermore, independent investigations differently conducted by authors Seymour Hersh, Leonard Weiss, Thomas C. Reed, and Richard Rhodes suggested that Israel had cooperated with South Africa to test a nuclear weapon with the knowledge and protection of Carter’s administration. Reed continues to claim that the incident was an Israeli neutron bomb that was meant to go undetected by testing it during a window of opportunity when no active vela satellite observed the area.

South Africa

The location of the incident was within South Africa’s territory and, at the time, the country had a nuclear weapons program. However, South Africa had ratified the Partial Test Ban Treaty and therefore had nothing to hide. After apartheid, South Africa disclosed all of its nuclear weapons information and it became a common consensus that at the time of the incident, the country had no capacity to construct such a bomb. Furthermore, two years before the incident, the UN Security Council Resolution had put an arms embargo against South Africa, requiring all states to refrain from "any co-operation with South Africa in the manufacture and development of nuclear weapons."

USSR

Other sources claimed that the Soviet Union might have been responsible for the incident to secretly violate the 1963 Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Proponents of this claim cite the USSR’ 1959 secret underwater tests.

India

In 1974, India conducted the Smiling Buddha nuclear test. Although India’s test was legal, the country became a suspect because it was capable and its navy frequented the region.

France

A final theory is that French territory of Kerguelen Islands was not far to the west of the double flash location and therefore it was possible for them to test a small neutron bomb.

热门推荐
  • 生活常识
  • 家务日常
  • 习俗礼仪
  • 舌尖美食
  • 经典国学
最新发布
冬天水管子冻了怎么办
冬天水管子冻了怎么办
冬天水管子冻了可以使用热水浇淋,将温热水慢慢浇淋在冻住的水管上,水管子中的冰块即可慢慢融化,或者将吹风机开至热风,然后对
煮好的羊肉汤能放几天
煮好的羊肉汤能放几天
煮好的羊肉汤能放1天时间,羊肉煮制后营养物质大量流出,极易滋生细菌和有害物质,如果放置冰箱冷藏区保存,则可以将其保存时间延
香肠抽真空可以放多久
香肠抽真空可以放多久
香肠抽真空能放半年到一年的时间,真空保证会隔绝氧气,让香肠处于无氧的状态下,变质速度较慢,如果将香肠抽真空后放入冰箱冷冻,
玻璃水加什么才能防冻
玻璃水加什么才能防冻
玻璃水加酒精和乙二醇才能防冻,这两种物质可以降低液体的冰点,从而避免在低温情况下,液体出现结冰的现象,玻璃水按照用途可以
鸡头米是啥
鸡头米是啥
鸡头米是芡实,俗称为鸡头,属于一种睡莲科被子植物,鸡头米呈圆球状,颜色偏淡黄,新鲜鸡头米存放时需要放入清水中,然后放入冰箱冷
受送达人是什么意思
受送达人是什么意思
受送达人指的是接受文件或者法律文书的人,一般法律文书和文件由法院工作人员负责派送,称为送达人,在受送达人接收法律文件后,
免洗手凝胶可以过安检吗
免洗手凝胶可以过安检吗
免洗手凝胶不可以过安检,免洗手凝胶中的主要成分为酒精,而酒精属于易燃易爆物品,不允许带上飞机、地铁、火车等公用交通工具,
蛋挞过夜了还能吃吗
蛋挞过夜了还能吃吗
蛋挞过夜了还能吃,但在吃之前,要将其放在微波炉、烤箱中加热,以免蛋挞中滋生细菌,影响食用,保存吃不完的蛋挞时,要将其放入保鲜
三原色是什么
三原色是什么
三原色是指色彩当中不能再分解的三种基本颜色,分为颜料三原色和光学三原色。颜料三原色为品红、黄、青三色,指的是油墨的调
口蘑菌褶黑色能吃吗
口蘑菌褶黑色能吃吗
口蘑菌褶因放置过久变成黑色时,口蘑时可以吃的,此时他的口感和营养价值会降低。口蘑菌褶因为发生霉变变成黑色时,口蘑时不可