60-mm mortar test firing

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tiles were fired for the test. Craters produced by

and tested for the high-explosive components TNT

the 60-mm projectiles (Table 3, no. 15) were smaller

and RDX. Darkened, ash-covered snow surround-

than those produced by either the 105-mm howit-

zer or 81-mm mortar projectiles, averaging 1.83

ing the crater was collected in a 500-mL I-Chem

glass sample jar. The samples were returned to the

1.70 m in diameter. This gives a mean apparent

laboratory and analyzed for HE components by

radius of 0.88 m.

high-performance liquid chromatography. No ex-

The craters were very shallow, averaging 19 cm,

plosive components were detected, indicating that

essentially the depth of the snow cover in this part

they were completely consumed in the explosions

of the impact area. The snow was blown out by the

of the projectiles.*

explosion, and the underlying ice sheet remained

intact (Fig. 12). There was usually a small dimple in

January 1992 105-mm howitzer firing

the ice at the center of the crater where parts of the

Six craters formed in the ice sheet covering the

fuse of the projectile were sometimes found. One

shallow ponds along the eastern edge of the im-

60-mm projectile was a dud. The projectile appeared

to penetrate into the ice (Fig. 13), with only the tail

fins visible (again after careful digging of the snow

* Personal communication with Marianne Walsh, CRREL,

around the projectile by the EOD escort).

1991.

Figure 12. Crater formed by a 60-mm

mortar projectile.

Figure 13. Dud 60-mm projectile.