USS Scorpion

Nuc · 07-18-09, 04:25 PM

A letter from the current issue of Proceeding published by the Naval Institute:

Let's Resolve the Scorpion Mystery

(See J. I. Holwitt, p. 10, June 2009 Proceedings)
Bruce Rule-The author states in his fine article on the Scorpion (SSN-589): "The time has come to bring closure to the story of the Scorpion and eliminate these hurtful conspiracy theories."
Toward that objective, I sent two detailed technical analyses, dated 14 March and 3 April 2009, to the Director, Submarine Warfare (OPNAV N87), COMSUBLANT, and the Naval History & Heritage Command. The contents of these reports are summarized here:
When the U.S. nuclear-powered submarine Scorpion was lost in the east central Atlantic on 22 May 1968, the event produced a series of acoustic signals detected by underwater sensors on both sides of the Atlantic. By comparing the detection times of these signals, their point of origin was determined. This position provided the basis for the search that identified the Scorpion wreckage.

The first reanalysis of these acoustic signals in 40 years has provided the following new information:

Four independent lines of evidence confirm the initiating events that caused the loss of the Scorpion were two small explosions that occurred one-half second apart at 18:20:44Z on 22 May 1968. These events were contained within the submarine's pressure hull. The source of these explosive events cannot be determined from analysis of the acoustic data.
Because of these explosive events, the crew was unable to maintain depth-control. The Scorpion sank to 1,530 feet where the pressure hull collapsed in one-tenth of a second at 18:42:34Z.
The energy yield of that collapse event was equal to the explosion of 13,200 lbs of TNT at 1,530 feet. The source of this energy, which exceeded the yield of all torpedoes carried by the Scorpion, was the nearly instantaneous (less than 0.01-seconds) conversion of potential energy in the form of 680 psi of sea pressure to kinetic energy, the motion of the intruding water-ram which entered the pressure hull at supersonic velocity.
Other than the two small internal explosive events, more than 15 Scorpion-associated acoustic signals were produced, first by the collapse of the pressure hull, and then, over the following three minutes at increasing depth by the collapse of small, more pressure-resistant structures such as spherical tanks within the wreckage.
There were no explosions from a torpedo or any other source external to the Scorpion pressure hull. The Scorpion was lost because of an onboard problem the crew could not overcome.

Mr. Rule, for 42 years the lead acoustic analyst at the Office of Naval Intelligence, wrote the position paper that remains the Navy's official assessment of the dynamic and acoustic characteristics of submarine bulkhead and pressure hull collapse events.

07-18-09, 04:25 PM	#11
Nuc Planesman Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Connecticut, USA Posts: 180 Downloads: 100 Uploads: 0	A letter from the current issue of Proceeding published by the Naval Institute: Let's Resolve the Scorpion Mystery (See J. I. Holwitt, p. 10, June 2009 Proceedings) Bruce Rule-The author states in his fine article on the Scorpion (SSN-589): "The time has come to bring closure to the story of the Scorpion and eliminate these hurtful conspiracy theories." Toward that objective, I sent two detailed technical analyses, dated 14 March and 3 April 2009, to the Director, Submarine Warfare (OPNAV N87), COMSUBLANT, and the Naval History & Heritage Command. The contents of these reports are summarized here: When the U.S. nuclear-powered submarine Scorpion was lost in the east central Atlantic on 22 May 1968, the event produced a series of acoustic signals detected by underwater sensors on both sides of the Atlantic. By comparing the detection times of these signals, their point of origin was determined. This position provided the basis for the search that identified the Scorpion wreckage. The first reanalysis of these acoustic signals in 40 years has provided the following new information: Four independent lines of evidence confirm the initiating events that caused the loss of the Scorpion were two small explosions that occurred one-half second apart at 18:20:44Z on 22 May 1968. These events were contained within the submarine's pressure hull. The source of these explosive events cannot be determined from analysis of the acoustic data. Because of these explosive events, the crew was unable to maintain depth-control. The Scorpion sank to 1,530 feet where the pressure hull collapsed in one-tenth of a second at 18:42:34Z. The energy yield of that collapse event was equal to the explosion of 13,200 lbs of TNT at 1,530 feet. The source of this energy, which exceeded the yield of all torpedoes carried by the Scorpion, was the nearly instantaneous (less than 0.01-seconds) conversion of potential energy in the form of 680 psi of sea pressure to kinetic energy, the motion of the intruding water-ram which entered the pressure hull at supersonic velocity. Other than the two small internal explosive events, more than 15 Scorpion-associated acoustic signals were produced, first by the collapse of the pressure hull, and then, over the following three minutes at increasing depth by the collapse of small, more pressure-resistant structures such as spherical tanks within the wreckage. There were no explosions from a torpedo or any other source external to the Scorpion pressure hull. The Scorpion was lost because of an onboard problem the crew could not overcome. Mr. Rule, for 42 years the lead acoustic analyst at the Office of Naval Intelligence, wrote the position paper that remains the Navy's official assessment of the dynamic and acoustic characteristics of submarine bulkhead and pressure hull collapse events. __________________ Good ideas are not adopted automatically. They must be driven into practice with courageous patience. Admiral Hyman Rickover (1900 - 1986)