U.S., France, Soviets Conduct 20 Nuclear Tests Through July
The United States, the Soviet Union and France conducted 20 underground nuclear tests in the first seven months of 1985--a drop in levels of recent years, a Swedish seismological group said Wednesday.
The 20 underground nuclear explosions monitored between Jan. 1 and July 31 represented a decline from the same periods in 1983 and 1984, when 25 and 26 atomic blasts, respectively, were recorded, the Hagfors Seismological Observatory said in a report.
None of the explosions exceeded existing test ban limits, the report said.
The United States topped the list with nine underground nuclear tests in the Nevada desert in the first seven months.
The observatory said that the Soviet Union set off one non-military nuclear explosion this year but that the number of military tests remained at previous levels.
The Soviet Union detonated seven underground nuclear explosions, the report said--six military blasts at the Semipalatinsk test site in western Siberia and one explosion for engineering purposes 155 miles northeast of Arkhangelsk in northern Russia.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
