Uncovering the Mystery of the 1991 Atomic Bomb Ignition Papers

In summary, Hans Bethe recalled a 1991 interview where he discussed the suggestion that an atomic bomb could ignite the atmosphere. He mentioned a paper written by Emil Konopinski and [inaudible] that showed the impossibility of this scenario. However, the existence and release of these papers is uncertain and there is some confusion regarding the authorship. A paper by Konopinski, Marvin, and Teller discussing the same topic can be found on Wikipedia.
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Hans Bethe mentioned that Konopinski showed that it was impossible to set hydrogen and to set the atmosphere on fire with an atomic bomb and wrote one or two "very good" papers on it that put the question to rest. I'm looking for these papers.
I recently looked at a transcript of a 1991 interview of Hans Bethe, where he recalled the suggestion that an atomic bomb could ignite the air.

"Teller at Los Alamos put a very good calculator on this problem, [Emil] Konopinski, who was an expert on weak interactors, and Konopinski together with [inaudible] showed that it was incredibly impossible to set the hydrogen, to set the atmosphere on fire. They wrote one or two very good papers on it, and that put the question really at rest."

I'm having a hard time finding any record of these papers, so I'm curious if these papers exist and if they were ever released to the public, or if Hans Bethe may have mistakenly identified Konopinski as an author.

Thanks for any guidance, or suggestions for related academic publications.

As far as attempting to rederive their results myself goes, I would like to mention that I am an undergraduate, and this problem seems nontrivial, especially for someone with little experience in the subfield.
 
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1. What are the 1991 Atomic Bomb Ignition Papers?

The 1991 Atomic Bomb Ignition Papers are a collection of documents that were released by the United States government in 1991. These papers detail the development and testing of the atomic bomb during World War II.

2. Why are these papers significant?

These papers are significant because they provide insight into the scientific and technological advancements that led to the creation of the atomic bomb. They also shed light on the ethical and political debates surrounding the use of nuclear weapons.

3. How were these papers uncovered?

The papers were originally classified as top secret and were not released to the public until 1991. They were uncovered by a team of researchers who were granted access to classified government documents through the Freedom of Information Act.

4. What information can be found in these papers?

The papers contain detailed information about the development and testing of the atomic bomb, including scientific data, diagrams, and correspondence between scientists and government officials. They also provide information about the decision-making process behind the use of the atomic bomb.

5. What impact have these papers had on our understanding of history?

The 1991 Atomic Bomb Ignition Papers have had a significant impact on our understanding of history by providing a more comprehensive and detailed account of the development and use of the atomic bomb. They have also sparked important discussions about the ethics and consequences of using nuclear weapons.

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