Talk:Trinitite

Comments
I would like opinions on adding a "use in popular fiction/pop culture" sub-section to this page to include the substance's apperance in the novel Generation-X by Douglas Coupland.

In the novel the character Dag, brings a mason jar full of trinitite as a gift for Claire and subsequently drops the jar causing it to break and spill after Claire's strong and apparently unexpected reaction once Dag explained what it was. If it is relevant to this addition, Couplands story is already well-documented and its contributions discussed in releated pages. The most enduring aspect of the novel is the title itself which popularized the phrase Generation X in America and Canada (though he acknowledges that it was orginally mentioned as a designation for a class system by a non-fiction writer whose name eludes me and was orginally used in the book in the reverse "an x generation") as well as other neogoloisms such as 'McJob'.

I have not added this to the article as it is in my experience the only known example of trinitite being mentioned in novel and am unsure of adding a single sub-section for a single reference.

Personally, the substance fascinated me when I read about it in Generation X and until recenetly after doing a google search (which also took a fair bit of time due to my error of searching for it under the name 'trinite' instead of the correct 'trinitite') I was unsure if it was an example of artistic liscense or an actual substance formed at the above ground test site. Helioglyph 07:00, 4 January 2007 (UTC)

Trinitite is also featured prominently in "The Green Glass Sea" by Ellen Klages ISBN 0670061344, in fact giving it its title. An earlier short story of the same title can be found at http://www.strangehorizons.com/2004/20040906/greenglass-f.shtml

Hstolte 16:11, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

Trinitite/Kharitonchik merge suggestion

 * The following discussion is closed. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section.

The Kharitonchik article contains very little that isn't contained here, and they are functionally the same thing. Merge and redirect seems like a good idea here. Kaini (talk) 23:48, 8 April 2011 (UTC)

Agreed. Danapit (talk) 13:35, 30 April 2011 (UTC)

I agree as well. Jax-Kenobi (talk) 18:08, 17 May 2011 (UTC)
 * ✅ Kaini (talk) 01:52, 18 May 2011 (UTC)


 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section.

Isn't White Sands National Monument pretty much pure gypsum?
We've got some interesting conflicts of information running around the web right now. On one hand, we have very reputable sources working with the assumption that it was quartz sand (SiO2) that was fused into the glass, such as http://www.minsocam.org/ammin/AM33/AM33_360.pdf, and on the other hand we have very reputable sources saying that White Sands is 98% gypsum sand (CaSO4·2H2O), such as http://www.nps.gov/whsa/learn/sand.htm. These are only two examples, the problem seems really widespread across the whole internet and I've found lots of sources supporting both sides. Is this a problem that we should/can fix? Or does someone have a simple explanation? My only current alternative hypothesis being that there's a small area of the White Sands Monument that for some reason is quartz sand, which seems unlikely. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Daemyth (talk • contribs) 00:53, 10 March 2016 (UTC)

Edit: Apparently the source of the confusion is the use of "White Sands", "White Sands National Monument", and "White Sands Missile Range" interchangeably. The nuclear testing occurred outside of White Sands National Monument and inside the White Sands Missile Range, which is to the north of White Sands National Monument. At the missile range, the sand is indeed quartz sand and the glass is composed of fused quartz. Daemyth (talk) 00:00, 13 July 2017 (UTC)

Trinitite at Sodom
I've added a claim that the material has been found at a proposed site of Sodom. I'm not sure of the provenance of the reference I've given, and if someone is able to provide a better link that would be good. However the fact that it has been found there seems reasonably well attested. Ender&#39;s Shadow Snr (talk) 21:30, 9 July 2017 (UTC)
 * Removed the "claim" as the source seems to fail WP:RS - more like a blog, need to wait for a real source. Also, the source just says resembles "trinitite," and that is far too weak for inclusion here. Vsmith (talk) 00:00, 10 July 2017 (UTC)
 * Agree. When they publish a paper about it in a journal, we can cite that instead. Daemyth (talk) 00:01, 13 July 2017 (UTC)
 * Fair enough. I stand corrected. I felt that the speculation was worth drawing attention to, but I can see why it's not. Ender&#39;s Shadow Snr (talk) 23:37, 13 July 2017 (UTC)

Fake Trinitite?
The photo titled, "Detail of Trinitite, side view," is not typical of Trinitite. It appears too dense, lacking the many small voids characteristic of Trinitite (some pieces actually float on water). The crystalline structure is also too large, suggesting slower cooling. The material in this photograph more closely resembles what is sometimes called "rocket glass," formed when rocket motors melt and fuse desert sand. I would suggest replacing this with a photo that is typical of the cross-section in appearance and that has provenance. WM Kolb (talk) 18:16, 5 September 2018 (UTC)WMKolb
 * It's a great shame this question has languished unanswered for over two years, but in any event I have now made the requested change. 92.24.246.11 (talk) 12:56, 22 May 2021 (UTC)
 * I see you reverted this, too. After looking at numerous scientific papers on trinitite I'm leaning strongly towards that image not being of trinitite, I have to say. 92.24.246.11 (talk) 10:42, 27 May 2021 (UTC)
 * OK, restored. Vsmith (talk) 12:03, 27 May 2021 (UTC)
 * I think there's some good pictures in open access journals we might be able to use, if I go hunting would you be willing to put them on Commons? 92.24.246.11 (talk) 12:05, 27 May 2021 (UTC)

"Glass Parking Lot" listed at Redirects for discussion
A discussion is taking place to address the redirect Glass Parking Lot. The discussion will occur at Redirects for discussion/Log/2021 June 4 until a consensus is reached, and readers of this page are welcome to contribute to the discussion. Ivanvector's squirrel (trees/nuts) 13:40, 4 June 2021 (UTC)

"Glass crater" listed at Redirects for discussion
A discussion is taking place to address the redirect Glass crater. The discussion will occur at Redirects for discussion/Log/2021 June 4 until a consensus is reached, and readers of this page are welcome to contribute to the discussion. Ivanvector's squirrel (trees/nuts) 13:43, 4 June 2021 (UTC)

source not available
The source [44] for Hiroshimaite is not available anymore, the URL returns "page not found" 109.134.111.3 (talk) 12:46, 27 November 2023 (UTC)
 * ✅ Aluxosm (talk) 10:45, 1 March 2024 (UTC)