Tsar Bomba C), north of the Arctic Circle over the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. The bomb was dropped from an altitude of ; it was designed to detonate at a height of over the land surface ( above sea level) by barometric sensors. The original, November 1961, United States Atomic Energy Commission estimate of the yield was 55–60 megatons, but since 1992, all Russian sources have stated its yield as 58.6 megatons. First secretary Khrushchev warned in a filmed speech to the Supreme Soviet of the existence of a 100-megaton bomb (technically the design was capable of this yield.)
Severnaya Zemlya of the Severnaya Zemlya group and is separated from Komsomolets Island by the Yuny Strait. Pioneer island measures in area. This island houses the Pioneer Glacier. Thelodonti fossils from the Upper Silurian have been found in the island. Off Pioneer Island's southwestern end lies Krupskoy Island. This is a fairly large island, over in length and about in width. The sound that separates it from Pioneer is only in width. This island should not be confused with Pioneer Island in Canada (). Schmidt Island, measuring , is located at the far northwestern end of the archipelago. This island is quite