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RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN BURN SEVERITY AND THE SIMULATED THERMAL PULSES OF VARIOUS NUCLEAR WEAPONS

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4304062· OSTI ID:4304062
When burns are produced by a total radiant exposure of 5 cal/cm(sup 2), burn severity decreases with thermal pulses of longer duration. Maximum damage results from a pulse simulating that of a 20 KT weapon, the shortest pulse investigated; 40 KT and l00 KT weapon pulses show similar effects; and the 1000 KT pulse produces less damage. Burn severity is nearly the same from 10 cal/ cm(sup 2) whether the thermal pulse simulates 20 KT, 40 KT, 100 KT, or 1000 KT weapons. Less damage is caused by 10 cal/cm(sup 2) when it is delivered with a l0,000 KT simulated pulse. There is surprisingly little difference in the range of severity of burns from l5 cal/ cm(sup 2) when the thermal pulse simulates 100, 1000, and 10,000 KT weapons. Most of the burns from radiant exposures of 20 cal/ cm2 show complcte destruction of the full thickness of dermis. If there is a difference due to the type of thermal pulse, it is that the l00 KT pulse results in less dannage than does either the 1000 or l0,000 KT pulse. When the radiant exposure is sufficient to produce some dermal damage but not great enough to destroy the full thickness of the skin, a moderately wide range of burn severity results from each exposurepulse combination. This again demonstrates that skin is not a passive receiver but reacts to thermal energy. The type of reaction influences the severity of the burn produced. (auth)
Research Organization:
Rochester, N.Y. Univ. Atomic Energy Project
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
NSA Number:
NSA-13-001050
OSTI ID:
4304062
Report Number(s):
UR-533
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English