Should we still be testing nuclear bombs?

[Matt Deckard]

http://freepress.org/departments/display/20/2006/1962

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

Well, since the test they are trying to do isn't even a nuclear bomb, isn't that the wrong question?

Why are people worried about fallout from an ammonium nitrate and fuel oil bomb? It will basically just cause a huge explosion where the only danger is people or stuff getting caught in it or hit with debris. Sort of like when that ship full of ammonium nitrate blew up in Texas City in the 40s.

If this is happening in the middle of the desert then, who cares?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Testing nuclear bombs ... how delightfully vintage!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

.

Anyway, I'm protected ...

.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

Hm, that article seems a bit...shrill.

Well, it's not a nuclear weapon at all...and the line "<b>some</b> of which <b>may</b> be radioactive" takes the steam out of the entire argument. Once he can change it to "significant amounts of which are radioactive" then we can talk.

 

[jake_fink]

[...] the line "some of which may be radioactive" takes the steam out of the entire argument.

I think it puts the steam into the argument. But I prefer to gamble on my own dime.

Anyway, what exactly is the purpose of this blast? Can we next expect to see 700 tons of vinegar and baking soda creating a "mega-volcano"?

I wouldn't care a dot, it would be a mystery left to my American friends to figure out (good luck with it), and a mess for them to clean up, except that their radioactive dust will soon be floating into my sky. So, I'd really rather not see a resumption of nuclear testing (to answer the question at the top of this thread).

At least I too have a hat, and I always wanted that Flintstone four o'clock shadow look.

 

[Hannigan Reilly]

If you don't have a hat, and the bomb IS nuclear- all you need is a 1950's children's school desk to hide under and complete safety is attained.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

With a hat and a desk, it'll be just you and the cockroaches!

 

[Matt Deckard]

I have a hat and I know I am protected, though still...

I myself think we should be testing nukes... why are we going small?

What are we going to do when the aliens come for our corn? are we just going to send F-18s with rockets to fend them off? I want strategic warheads that can create a hole a mile wide in the moon!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Agreed. Totally. Absolutely. Yes. Especially since the aliens love irradiated corn.

 

[Tin Pan Sally]

I have some bottle rockets aimed at our fields when the aliens come for our fuel producing corn. I have everything covered, carry on.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

But I thought that you were an alien!

 

[Serial Hero]

700 tons of ammonium nitrate

Now that's a lot of @$%&#!

But seriously, how is that even practical as a battlefield weapon? How would it be delivered?


And any time the government says "Trust us", that's exactly when not to trust it.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

And any time the government says "Trust us", that's exactly when not to trust it.

Well, duh!

.

 

[Benny Holiday]

"Defense and Energy Department spokesmen have assured people there will be 'no significant impact' to the environment."

Smells like a steaming pile of ammonium nitrate to me.

 

[Andykev]

It's just a light show for the Las Vegas Tourists

Yea, that is a great idea, start blowing off nuclear weapons again.

Summary of U.S. Nuclear Test Series

From 1945 to 1963 the U.S.A. conducted an extensive campaign of nuclear tests, generally grouped into the 20 test "series" summarized in the table below.
Test Series Year Location Number of Tests Number of Personnel*
Project Trinity 1945 U.S.A. 1 164
Operation Crossroads 1946 Pacific 2 40,112
Operation Sandstone 1948 Pacific 3 11,782
Operation Ranger 1951 U.S.A. 5 266
Operation Greenhouse 1951 Pacific 4 7,590
Operation Buster-Jangle 1951 U.S.A. 7 7,812
Operation Tumbler-Snapper 1952 U.S.A. 8 8,710
Operation Ivy 1952 Pacific 2 11,650
Operation Upshot-Knothole 1953 U.S.A. 11 18,000
Operation Castle 1954 Pacific 6 12,700
Operation Teapot 1955 U.S.A. 14 8,700
Operation Wigwam 1955 Pacific 1 6,800
Operation Redwing 1956 Pacific 17 11,350
Operation Plumbbob 1957 U.S.A. 24 13,300
Operation Hardtack I 1958 Pacific 34 16,000
Operation Argus 1958 Atlantic 3 4,500
Operation Hardtack II 1958 U.S.A. 19 1,650
Operation Dominic I 1962 Pacific 36 22,600
Operation Dominic II 1962 U.S.A. 4 2,900
Plowshare Program 1961-1962 U.S.A. 27 **

* These approximate numbers represent only Department of Defense personnel.

** Numbers for Plowshare not available.


Chronological Development of Air Burst


Chronological development of an air burst; 0.5 second after 20-kiloton detonation; 1.8 seconds after 1-megaton detonation.

Immediately following the detonation of a nuclear weapon in the air, an intensely hot and luminous (gaseous) fireball is formed. Because of its extremely high temperature, it emits thermal (or heat) radiation capable of causing skin burns and starting fires in flammable material at a considerable distance. The nuclear processes which cause the explosion and the radioactive decay of the fission products are accompanied by harmful nuclear radiations (gamma rays and neutrons) which also have a long range in air. Very soon after the explosion, a destructive shock (or blast) wave develops in the air and moves rapidly away from the fireball.

At the times indicated, the fireball has almost attained its maximum size, as shown by the figures given below:
Diameter of fireball (feet)
20 kilotons 1 megaton
At time indicated 1,460 6,300
Maximum 1,550 7,200

The blast wave front in the air is seen to be well ahead of the fireball, about 800 feet for the 20-kiloton explosion and roughly half a mile for the 1-megaton detonation.

Chronological development of an air burst; 1.25 seconds after 20-kiloton detonation; 4.6 seconds after 1-megaton detonation.

When the primary air blast wave from the explosion strikes the ground, another blast wave is produced by reflection. At a certain distance from ground zero, which depends upon the height of burst and the energy yield of the weapon, the primary and reflected wave fronts fuse near the ground to form a single, reinforced Mach front (or stem).

The time and distance at which the Mach effect commences for the air bursts at the given heights are as follows:
Explosion yield Height of burst (feet) Time after detonation (seconds) Distance from ground zero (miles)
20 kilotons 1, 760 1.25 0.35
1 megaton 6,500 4.6 1.3

The overpressure at the earth's surface is then 16 pounds per square inch.
Significant quantities of thermal and nuclear radiations continue to be emitted from the fireball.

Chronological development of an air burst; 3 seconds after 20-kiloton detonation; 11 seconds after 1-megaton detonation.

As time progresses, the Mach front (or stem) moves outward and increases in height. The distance from ground zero and the height of the stem at the times indicated are as follows:
Explosion yield Height of burst (feet) Time after detonation (seconds) Distance from ground zero (miles) Height of Stem (feet)
20 kilotons 1, 760 3 0.87 185
1 megaton 6,500 11 3.2 680

The overpressure at the Mach front is 6 pounds per square inch and the blast wind velocity immediately behind the front is about 180 miles per hour.

Nuclear radiations from the weapon residues in the rising fireball continue to reach the ground. But after 3 seconds from the detonation of a 20-kiloton weapon, the fireball, although still very hot, has cooled to such an extent that the thermal radiation is no longer important. The total accumulated amounts of thermal radiation, expressed in calories per square centimeter, received at various distances from ground zero after a 20-kiloton air burst, at 1,760 feet, are shown on the scale at the bottom of the figure (for further details, see Chapter VII). Appreciable amounts of thermal radiation are still received from the fireball at 11 seconds after a 1-megaton explosion; the thermal radiation emission is spread over a longer time interval than for an explosion of lower energy yield.

Chronological development of an air burst; 10 seconds after 20-kiloton detonation; 37 seconds after 1-megaton detonation.

At 10 seconds after a 20-kilon explosion at an altitude of 1,760 feet the Mach front is over 2 1/2 miles from ground zero, and 37 seconds after a 1-megaton detonation at 6,500 feet, it is nearly 9 1/2 miles from ground zero. The overpressure at the front is roughly 1 pound per square inch, in both cases, and the wind velocity behind the front is 40 miles per hour. There will be slight damage to many structures, including doors and window frames ripped off, roofs cracked, and plaster damaged. Glass will be broken at overpressures down to 1/2 pound per square inch. Thermal radiation is no longer important, even for the 1-megaton burst, the total accumulated amounts of this radiation, at various distances, being indicated on the scale at the bottom of the figure. Nuclear radiation, however, can still reach the ground to an appreciable extent; this consists mainly of gamma rays from the fission products.

The fireball is no longer luminous, but it is still very hot and it behaves like a hot-air balloon, rising at a rapid rate. As it ascends, it causes air to be drawn inward and upward, somewhat similar to the updraft of a chimney. This produces strong air currents, called afterwinds. For moderately low air bursts, these winds will raise dirt and debris from the earth's surface to form the stem of what will eventually be the characteristic mushroom cloud.

Chronological development of an air burst; 30 seconds after 20-kiloton detonation; 110 seconds after 1-megaton detonation.

The hot residue of the weapon continues to rise and at the same time it expands and cools. As a result, the vaporized fission products and other weapon residues condense to form a cloud of highly radioactive particles. The afterwinds have velocities of 200 or more miles per hour, and for a sufficiently low burst they will continue to raise a column of dirt and debris which will later join with the radioactive cloud to form the characteristic mushroom shape. At the times indicated, the cloud from a 20-kiloton explosion will have risen about 1 1/2 miles and that from a 1-megaton explosion about 7 miles. After about 10 minutes, the maximum heights attained by the clouds will be about 7 miles and 14 miles, respectively. Ultimately, the particles in the cloud will be dispersed by the wind and, unless there is precipitation, there will usually be no early (or local) fallout. Only if the height of burst is less than about 600 feet for a 20-kiloton and 3,000 feet for a 1-megaton explosion would appreciable early fallout be expected.

Although the cloud is still highly radioactive, very little of the nuclear radiation reaches the ground. This is the case because of the increased distance of the cloud above the earth's surface and the decrease in the activity of the fission products due to natural radioactive decay.

From The Effects of Nuclear Weapons, Samuel Glasstone, ed., USAEC, Washington, DC, April 1962; Revised Edition reprinted February 1964.


For more information see Trinity Atomic Web Site at http://www.envirolink.org/issues/nuketesting/

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Are we required to read all that?

.

 

[Andykev]

No you aren't even required to log on..

This is also interesting, if they start blasting off Nukes, the OZONE LAYER
Forget your underarm sprays and banned chemicals...nukes will accelerate the process.

"EFFECT ON THE OZONE LAYER

2.148 Ozone (O3) is formed in the upper atmosphere, mainly in the stratosphere (see Fig. 9.126) in the altitude range of approximately 50,000 to 100,000 feet (roughly 10 to 20 miles), by the action of solar radiation on molecular oxygen (O2). The accumulation of ozone is limited by its decomposition, partly by the absorption of solar ultraviolet radiation in the wavelength range from about 2,100 to 3,000 A and partly by chemical reaction with traces of nitrogen oxides (and other chemical species) present in the atmosphere. The chemical decomposition occurs by way of a complex series of chain reactions whereby small quantities of nitrogen oxides can cause considerable breakdown of the ozone. The equilibrium (or steady-state) concentration of ozone at any time represents a balance between the rates of formation and decomposition; hence, it is significantly dependent on the amount of nitrogen oxides present. Solar radiation is, of course, another determining factor; the normal concentration of ozone varies, consequently, with the latitude, season of the year, time of day, the stage in the solar (sunspot) cycle, and perhaps with other factors not yet defined.

2.149 Although the equilibrium amount in the atmosphere is small, rarely exceeding 10 parts by weight per million parts of air, ozone has an important bearing on life on earth. If it were not for the absorption of much of the solar ultraviolet radiation by the ozone, life as currently known could not exist except possibly in the ocean. A significant reduction in the ozone concentration, e.g., as a result of an increase in the amount of nitrogen oxides, would be expected to cause an increased incidence of skin cancer and to have adverse effects on plant and animal life..

2.150 As seen in ¤¤ 2.08 and 2.123, nuclear explosions are accompanied by the formation of oxides of nitrogen. An air burst, for example, is estimated to produce about 1032 molecules of nitrogen oxides per megaton TNT equivalent. For nuclear explosions of intermediate and moderately high yield in the air or near the surface, the cloud reaches into the altitude range of 50,000 to 100,000 feet (Fig. 2.16); hence, the nitrogen oxides from such explosions would be expected to enhance mechanisms which tend to decrease the ozone concentration. Routine monitoring of the atmosphere during and following periods of major nuclear testing have shown no significant change in the ozone concentration in the sense of marked, long-lasting perturbations. However, the large natural variations in the ozone layer and uncertainties in the measurements do not allow an unambiguous conclusion to be reached. Theoretical calculations indicate that extensive use of nuclear weapons in warfare could cause a substantial decrease in the atmospheric ozone concentration, accompanied by an increase in adverse biological effects due to ultraviolet radiation. The ozone layer should eventually recover, but this might take up to 25 years."

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I'm reading it all, word for word.

 

[Story]

When in doubt, do a contents check

Survival kit contents check. In them you'll find: one forty-five caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days' concentrated emergency rations; one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings.