Atomic Testing in Mississippi: Project Dribble and the Quest for Nuclear Weapons Treaty Verification in the Cold War Era

In Atomic Testing in Mississippi, David Allen Burke illuminates the nearly forgotten history of America's only nuclear detonations east of the Mississippi River. The atomic tests, conducted in the mid-1960s nearly 3,000 feet below ground in Mississippi's Tatum Salt Dome, posed a potential risk for those living within 150 miles of the site, which included residents of Hattiesburg, Jackson, Gulfport, Biloxi, Mobile, and New Orleans. While the detonations provided the United States with verification methods that helped limit the world's nuclear arsenals, they sparked widespread public concern.

In 1964 and 1966 the Atomic Energy Commission conducted experiments at the salt dome—code-named Dribble—surrounded by a greater population density than any other test site in the United States. Although the detonations were not weapons tests, they fostered a conflict between regional politicians interested in government-funded science projects and a population leery of nuclear testing near their homes. Even today, residents near the salt dome are still fearful of long-term negative health consequences.

Despite its controversy, Project Dribble provided the technology needed to detect and assess the performance of distant underground atomic explosions and thus verify international weapons treaty compliance. This technology led to advanced seismological systems that now provide tsunami warnings and detect atomic activity in other nuclear nations, such as Pakistan and North Korea.

About the Author :
David Allen Burke holds a doctorate in history from Auburn University, where he has also served as an adjunct instructor.

Review :
Atomic Testing in Mississippi adds to the body of work on nuclear testing by focusing on the Project Dribble pair of underground nuclear detonations and the follow-on work with nonnuclear explosions. . . . The book provides good coverage of issues surrounding the tests, such as local politics, concerns over outsiders coming to the state, the handling of damage claims, and the possible cancer-rate links to the tests. Further, the book offers clear explanations of the geology of salt domes in the southeastern United States, the local history of the Tatum salt dome where the tests were conducted, and a condensed history of nuclear-weapons testing and negotiations with the Soviet Union to end such testing. The technical details of the tests and their seismic effect are lucidly presented." - Technology and Culture

"The great strength of this book is the sheer depth and relentlessness of Burke's research. He has uncovered every document possible about the testing program and has spoken to as many local residents as will talk about the events. He has dug into the politics of the tests as well as the ways in which local landowners tried to use the program for their own financial gain. Given document classification issues as well as the reluctance of some people to speak on the record, Burke's achievements should not be underestimated. He weaves documents, maps, photos, and interviews together into a coherent narrative, and this history is brief, clear, and to the point." - American Historical Review

"Burke has written an enlightening and provocative book that deserves attention. . . . [It is] a well-researched and well-written study of a very important topic." - Journal of Southern History