The 'rope trick effect' refers to the lines and spikes which emanate from the bottom of the fireball of some nuclear explosions just after detonation. The rope trick results from the heating, vaporization, and expansion of mooring cables that extend from the housing that contains the explosive device. Physicist John Malik noted that when the rope was painted black, spike formation was enhanced. If the cables were coated with reflective paint or were wrapped in aluminum foil, then no spikes were observed. This confirmed the hypothesis that the visible radiation heated and vaporized the rope and caused the effect. Underground, atmospheric, and surface-detonated explosions do not display the rope trick - because there is no rope.
This nuclear detonation from the Tumbler-Snapper test series (Nevada, 1952) shows a fireball and 'rope trick' effects. This photo was taken less than 1 millisecond after nuclear detonation.
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