Smoke produced by nonurban target-area fires following a nuclear exchange. Technical report, 5 June 1984-5 January 1985

Technical Report · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5054780

Bush, B W; Small, R D

The amount of smoke that may be produced by wildland or rural fires as a consequence of a large-scale nuclear exchange is estimated. The calculation is based on a compilation of rural military facilities, identified from a wide variety of unclassified sources, together with data on their geographic positions, surrounding vegetation (fuel), and weather conditions. The ignition area (corrected for fuel moisture) and the amount of fire spread are used to calculate the smoke production. The results show a substantially lower estimated smoke production (from wildland fires) than in earlier nuclear-winter studies. The amount varies seasonally and at its peak is less by an order of magnitude that the estimated threshold level necessary for a major attenuation of solar radiation.

• Research Organization: Pacific-Sierra Research Corp., Los Angeles, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5054780
• Report Number(s): AD-A-213304/9/XAB; PSR--1515
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450400* -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Nuclear & Radiological Warfare-- (1990-)
AEROSOLS
COLLOIDS
COOLING
DISPERSIONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
EXPLOSIONS
FIRES
FORESTS
FUELS
IGNITION
MILITARY FACILITIES
MODIFICATIONS
MOISTURE
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NUCLEAR WINTER
PROGRESS REPORT
RADIATIONS
RESIDUES
RURAL AREAS
SMOKES
SOLAR RADIATION
SOLS
STELLAR RADIATION
WARFARE
WEATHER