Effects of relative humidity and yield on self-induced rainout from tactical nuclear explosions

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Simulation; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1177/003754978805100505· OSTI ID:5882250

Carhart, R A; Policastro, A J

The authors have studied the process of wet fallout from a tactical nuclear explosion due to scavenging of radioactivity by self-induced rain (rain produced by the explosion itself) using a numerical two-dimensional model of an axisymmetric cloud. Under mid-latitude summertime conditions and for yields of 20 to 100 kilotons, the model shows that self-induced rainout is not significant for low relative humidities, is very important for high relative humidities (>80%), and is moderately important for relative humidities down to about 50%. When self-induced rainout occurs, it is heavy within a couple of kilometers of ground zero and peaks early in the episode. The model has successfully predicted observed radioactive self-induced rainout for the Hiroshima and Nagasaki detonations (both in the 20 kiloton range), and does not predict rain under conditions typical of U.S. tests in Nevada, where self-induced rainout has not been observed. The model is interesting as a hybrid of Eulerian and Lagrangian methods.

• Research Organization: Illinois Univ., Chicago, IL (USA). Dept. of Physics; Argonne National Lab., IL (USA). Energy and Environmental Systems Div.
• OSTI ID: 5882250
• Journal Information: Simulation; (United States), Journal Name: Simulation; (United States) Vol. 51:5; ISSN SIMUA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220100 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Theory & Calculation
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450202 -- Explosions & Explosives-- Nuclear-- Weaponry-- (-1989)
500300* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ASIA
DETONATIONS
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
EQUATIONS
EXPLOSIONS
FALLOUT
FALLOUT DEPOSITS
FEDERAL REGION IX
HIROSHIMA
HUMIDITY
JAPAN
LAGRANGE EQUATIONS
NAGASAKI
NEVADA
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
RADIOACTIVITY
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
USA