Nuclear-weapon-effect research at PSR (Pacific-Sierra Research Corporation) - 1983. Volume 9. Acute radiation effects on individual crew member performance. Final technical report, 26 October 1982-30 November 1983

Technical Report · Fri Aug 31 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:5745860

Anno, G H; Wilson, D B; Dore, M A

Quantitative estimates are developed of performance levels of selected U.S. Army combat crew members exposed to prompt ionizing radiation from nuclear weapons. The performance levels, expressed as percentages of normal (baseline) task performance, provide information for military operational planning, combat training, and computer-simulation modeling of combat-crew and unit effectiveness. A methodology is described using data from two separate bodies of information; (1) acute radiation sickness symptomatology, and (2) judgment of typical task performance time as recorded on army combat-crew questionnaires. Those bodies of information are integrated to compute performance level as a function of dose (free-in-air) and postexposure time. Using radiation effects and symptomatology descriptions for each of eight separate dose ranges covering exposures from 75 to 4500 rads (cGy), a structure of symptom complexes is formed in the dose/time domain extending 6 weeks after exposure to prompt radiation. Descriptions of symptom complexes used in the Army combat-crew questionnaires form the link between dose/time and the task-performance estimates provided by supervisors of combat crews. The study focuses on soldiers representing four different crews, from the artillery (both gun and fire direction center crews), armor, and antiarmor, because their operations include the prospect of decisive encounters where one of the combatant crews will probably be put out of action.

• Research Organization: Pacific-Sierra Research Corp., Los Angeles, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5745860
• Report Number(s): AD-A-166282/4/XAB; PSR-1422-VOL-9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450202* -- Explosions & Explosives-- Nuclear-- Weaponry-- (-1989)
560151 -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Man
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ARMOR
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
EXPLOSIONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MILITARY PERSONNEL
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
PERSONNEL
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
SIMULATION
WARFARE
WEAPONS