The environmental effects of nuclear war

Conference · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:6760290

MacCracken, M C

Substantial environmental disruption will significantly add to the disastrous consequences caused by the direct thermal, blast, and radiological effects brought on by a major nuclear war. Local fallout could cover several percent of the Northern Hemisphere with potentially lethal doses. Smoke from post-nuclear fires could darken the skies and induce temperature decreases of tens of degrees in continental interiors. Stratospheric ozone could be significantly reduced due to nitric oxide injections and smoke-induced circulation changes. The environmental effects spread the consequences of a nuclear war to the world population, adding to the potentially large disruptive effects a further reason to avoid such a catastrophe. 27 refs., 4 figs.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6760290
• Report Number(s): UCRL-99502; CONF-8804202-1; ON: DE89001292
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
500300* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOLS
BLAST EFFECTS
CHALCOGENIDES
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FALLOUT
GLOBAL ASPECTS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
MODIFICATIONS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
NUCLEAR WINTER
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
RADIATION EFFECTS
RESIDUES
SMOKES
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
SOLS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
WARFARE
WEAPONS