09-10-2007, 03:26 AM
This is an interesting site I have used in the past when discussing the effects of a nuclear bomb... (just click on the title to access the link)
Quote:
Effects of a Nuclear Explosion
Damage caused by nuclear explosions can vary greatly, depending on the weapon's yield (measured in kilotons or megatons), the type of nuclear fuel used, the design of the device, whether it's exploded in the air or at earth's surface, the geography surrounding the target, whether it's winter or summer, hazy or clear, night or day, windy or calm. Whatever the factors, though, the explosion will release several distinct forms of energy. One form is the explosive blast. Other forms are direct nuclear radiation and thermal radiation. And then there's radioactive fallout -- not exactly energy released by the explosion, but still a destructive result.
...snip
Fallout
You've seen the image: a mushroom cloud created by a nuclear explosion. Produced with a detonation at or near the earth's surface, this type of explosion results in far-ranging radioactive fallout. Earth and debris -- made radioactive by the nuclear explosion -- rises up, forming the mushroom cloud's stem. Much of this material falls directly back down close to ground zero within several minutes after the explosion, but some travels high into the atmosphere. This material will be dispersed over the earth during the following hours, days, months. In fact, some of the particles rising up through the mushroom will enter the stratosphere, where they could remain for tens of years.
Wind direction, naturally, plays a significant role in how the radioactive fallout will be distributed. But so does wind speed. The Blast Mapper's fallout maps show the area where fallout would land if the wind were blowing at a steady 15 mph. Lighter winds would cause this area to be broader but not so deep. A stronger breeze would cause the fallout "plume" to be narrower and longer.
Damage caused by nuclear explosions can vary greatly, depending on the weapon's yield (measured in kilotons or megatons), the type of nuclear fuel used, the design of the device, whether it's exploded in the air or at earth's surface, the geography surrounding the target, whether it's winter or summer, hazy or clear, night or day, windy or calm. Whatever the factors, though, the explosion will release several distinct forms of energy. One form is the explosive blast. Other forms are direct nuclear radiation and thermal radiation. And then there's radioactive fallout -- not exactly energy released by the explosion, but still a destructive result.
...snip
Fallout
You've seen the image: a mushroom cloud created by a nuclear explosion. Produced with a detonation at or near the earth's surface, this type of explosion results in far-ranging radioactive fallout. Earth and debris -- made radioactive by the nuclear explosion -- rises up, forming the mushroom cloud's stem. Much of this material falls directly back down close to ground zero within several minutes after the explosion, but some travels high into the atmosphere. This material will be dispersed over the earth during the following hours, days, months. In fact, some of the particles rising up through the mushroom will enter the stratosphere, where they could remain for tens of years.
Wind direction, naturally, plays a significant role in how the radioactive fallout will be distributed. But so does wind speed. The Blast Mapper's fallout maps show the area where fallout would land if the wind were blowing at a steady 15 mph. Lighter winds would cause this area to be broader but not so deep. A stronger breeze would cause the fallout "plume" to be narrower and longer.