Cutie Pie, Snoopy and Poppy: The Odd Names of Hanford’s Radiation Detectors

Health physics — the science of protecting people and the environment from radiation — grew up in the Manhattan Project, which brought a new kind of hazard into the workplace. The Health Physics Exhibit at the B Reactor, in Manhattan Project National Historical Park at Hanford, Washington, tells that story. One of its panels, "You Named It What?", looks at the surprising names given to the instruments that measured radiation.

Why the silly names?

When naming their survey instruments and detectors, Manhattan Project staff borrowed from pop culture and mythology. According to K. Z. Morgan, the names were deliberately as silly as possible — supposedly to confuse "unauthorized personnel" during the war. Herbert Parker recalled that the "foolishly named" instruments became a source of light relief.

The detectors

In the exhibit, the actual instruments sit in nearby cabinets, and visitors are invited to find an example of each and match it to its name.

Visiting

The B Reactor can be visited in person only on guided tours offered by the Department of Energy.

Sources

Based on "B Reactor Health Physics Exhibit: You Named It What?", Manhattan Project National Historical Park, National Park Service; a work of the United States government in the public domain.