After nuclear war - a nuclear winter

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · BioScience; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1093/bioscience/34.1.6· OSTI ID:6896987

Tangley, L

The environmental and biological consequences of nuclear war were discussed by more than 100 eminent biologists, physicists and atmospheric scientists at the recent World after Nuclear War conference. The long-term effects were determined to be worse than the well-known immediate effects. They predicted that 225 million tons of smoke would be generated within a few days in their baseline scenario. As a result, the amount of sunlight reaching the earth would be reduced to a few percent of normal and temperatures would fall to -23/sup 0/C. About 30% of the northern middle latitudes would receive more than 250 rads radiation dose for several months and about 50% of the land area would receive more than 100 rads. Dangerous levels of solar ultraviolet light would burn through the atmosphere. It was also determined that these effects would be felt in the southern hemisphere. Those who survived the blast, fire and prompt radiation would face starvation from shutdown of plant photosynthesis and inhibition of phytoplankton photosynthesis. Huge wildfires and acid rains would stress any surviving plants and animals. Conference participants agreed that scientists had taken a new and significant step toward understanding the full consequences of nuclear war.

• OSTI ID: 6896987
• Journal Information: BioScience; (United States), Journal Name: BioScience; (United States) Vol. 34:1; ISSN BISNA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450202* -- Explosions & Explosives-- Nuclear-- Weaponry-- (-1989)
560130 -- Radiation Effects on Microorganisms
560140 -- Radiation Effects on Plants
560151 -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Man
560152 -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Animals
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACID RAIN
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
DOSES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EXPLOSIONS
FIRES
FORECASTING
HUMAN POPULATIONS
MEETINGS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
PHYTOPLANKTON
PLANKTON
PLANTS
POPULATIONS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RAIN
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
SYNTHESIS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VISIBLE RADIATION
WEAPONS