Relationships Between Burn Severity and the Simulated Thermal Pulses of Various Nuclear Weapons

Book excerpt: Most laboratory data on simulated nuclear weapon thermal pulses can be compared only indirectly with the results from field studies. To over-come this handicap, data of the type which could be obtained in field experiments were sought Burns from the following radiant exposure-simulated nuclear weapon pulse combinations were produced: (1) 5 cal/sq cm - 20 KT, ho KT, 100 KT, 1000 KT; (2) 10 cal/sq cm - 20 KT, 40 KT, 100 KT, 1000 KT, 10,000 KT; (3) 15 cal/sq cm - 100 KT, 1000 KT, 10,000 KT; and (4) 20 cal/sq cm - 100 KT, 1000 KT, 10,000 KT. With most of the combinations studied, a moderately wide range of burn severity occurred within the sixteen replications of a single exposure-pulse combination. Radiant exposures of 10 cal/sq cm resulted in nearly the same depth of damage with thermal pulses simulating 20 KT, 40 KT, 100 KT and 1000 KT weapons. Pulses simulating 100 KT, 1000 KT, and 10,000 KT weapons had little influence on burns produced by exposures of 15 cal/sq cm. With the 5 cal/sq cm exposure, maximum damage resulted from the use of a 20 KT pulse. On the other hand, less damage occurred from 20 cal/sq cm with the 100 KT pulse than with either 1000 KT or 10,000 KT pulses. Except for the 5 cal/sq cm exposure, the results are contrary to some earlier predictions of the effects of nuclear weapons.