Re:Nuclear War Survival Skills (1987) [pdf]
by mosheroperandi on Friday September 22, 2017 @01:19AM
(#15309566)
One interesting thing I learned recently is that pre-1945 steel[1] sells at a high premium because all modern steel has been noticeably contaminated by atomic testing. This has lead to large-scale illegal salvaging of old warship wrecks[2].
1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-background_steel 2: https://www.outsideonline.com/2168646/how-does-entire-shipwr...
Re:Nuclear War Survival Skills (1987) [pdf]
by trapperkeeper74 on Friday September 22, 2017 @02:14AM
(#15309781)
Yup. LBS is useful in detectors and such.
Re:Nuclear War Survival Skills (1987) [pdf]
by cocoablazing on Thursday September 21, 2017 @07:51PM
(#15308262)
This fallout remained in the atmosphere at such significant concentrations that it intermittently interfered with terrestrial radiological contamination measurement for decades after above-ground testing was banned.
Re:Nuclear War Survival Skills (1987) [pdf]
by mirimir on Thursday September 21, 2017 @09:17PM
(#15308709)
OK, but if you go high enough, you just get effects from radiation and EMP. With large enough devices, you can destroy electronics and kill animals.
Re:Nuclear War Survival Skills (1987) [pdf]
by kobeya on Thursday September 21, 2017 @09:11PM
(#15308685)
Nitpick, but those are the result of fission not fusion.
Re:Nuclear War Survival Skills (1987) [pdf]
by arethuza on Friday September 22, 2017 @03:14AM
(#15310023)
Calling H-bombs "fusion" bombs is perhaps a bit of a misnomer in that while fusion is they key component of H-bomb designs most of the energy of these weapons actually comes from fission - the fusion in the secondary produces a large amount of neutrons and these then cause the fission of a uranium tamper around the secondary which is the main energy source.
Air bursts produce minimal localized fallout, but they have long-term global consequences, especially detonating many powerful fusion bombs. The fallout produces atmospheric carbon-14 and strontium-90, among other dangerous isotopes, that can have consequences for many future generations. This is part of the reason why the nuclear test ban treaty was created.