FIAT/IFTA World Conference 2025

Integrating audiovisual media with related materials in other formats in a user-accessible manner presents a significant challenge for many institutions. However, making these resources available on a unified platform can allow materials to be even more technically expressive and valuable to research. At Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos National Laboratories this integration is particularly critical. Researchers frequently rely on both original motion picture footage of nuclear tests and the corresponding technical documentation to conduct thorough analysis and data interpretation. The labs have recently initiated efforts to address this need by leveraging a video streaming platform that allows us to collocate audiovisual materials with related textual documents, greatly improving accessibility and contextual understanding.

This poster will explore the benefits of combining diverse media formats, the challenges associated with making them accessible to researchers, and the technical obstacles involved in digitizing and preparing historic film materials—particularly those dating back to the early 1960s. As a case study, we will examine the film footage from Starfish Prime, the largest nuclear test conducted in outer space, with associated reports and documentation. This consolidation of information will provide valuable insights into the environmental impacts of the nuclear test and the unexpected effects of an electromagnetic pulse on Hawaii’s electrical grid.