Tissue kerma vs distance relationships for initial nuclear radiation from the atomic devices detonated over Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Technical Report · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6259209· OSTI ID:6259209

Kerr, G. D.; Pace, III, J. V.; Scott, Jr., W. H.

Initial nuclear radiation is comprised of prompt neutrons and prompt primary gammas from an exploding nuclear device, prompt secondary gammas produced by neutron interactions in the environment, and delayed neutrons and delayed fission-product gammas from the fireball formed after the nuclear device explodes. These various components must all be considered in establishing tissue kerma vs distance relationships which describe the decrease of initial nuclear radiation with distance in Hiroshima and in Nagasaki. The tissue kerma at ground evel from delayed fission-product gammas and delayed neutrons was investigated using the NUIDEA code developed by Science Applications, Inc. This code incorporates very detailed models which can take into account such features as the rise of the fireball, the rapid radioactive decay of fission products in it, and the perturbation of the atmosphere by the explosion. Tissue kerma vs distance relationships obtained by summing results of these current state-of-the-art calculations will be discussed. Our results clearly show that the prompt secondary gammas and delayed fission-product gammas are the dominant components of total tissue kerma from initial nuclear radiation in the cases of the atomic (or pure-fission) devices detonated over Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6259209
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-8727; ON: DE83013128
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450202 -- Explosions & Explosives-- Nuclear-- Weaponry-- (-1989)
510302* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- Terrestrial Ecosystems & Food Chains-- (-1987)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560161 -- Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology-- Man
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
A-BOMB SURVIVORS
BARYONS
BODY
DOSES
DOSIMETRY
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EXPLOSIONS
FERMIONS
FISSION NEUTRONS
FISSION PRODUCTS
GAMMA RADIATION
HADRONS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
KERMA
MATERIALS
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NUCLEONS
POPULATIONS
PROMPT GAMMA RADIATION
PROMPT NEUTRONS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATIONS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
TISSUES