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Title: Vulnerability assessment of a space based weapon platform electronic system exposed to a thermonuclear weapon detonation

Abstract

Rapidly changing world events, the increased number of nations with inter-continental ballistic missile capability, and the proliferation of nuclear weapon technology will increase the number of nuclear threats facing the world today. Monitoring these nation`s activities and providing an early warning and/or intercept system via reconnaissance and surveillance satellites and space based weapon platforms is a viable deterrent against a surprise nuclear attack. However, the deployment of satellite and weapon platform assets in space will subject the sensitive electronic equipment to a variety of natural and man-made radiation environments. These include Van Allen Belt protons and electrons; galactic and solar flare protons; and, neutrons, gamma rays, and X-rays from intentionally detonated fission and fusion weapons. In this paper, the MASH vl.0 code system is used to estimate the dose to the critical electronics components of an idealized space based weapon platform from neutron and gamma-ray radiation emitted from a thermonuclear weapon detonation in space. Fluence and dose assessments were performed for the platform fully loaded, and in several stages representing limited engagement scenarios. The results indicate vulnerabilities to the Command, Control, and Communication (C) bay instruments from radiation damage for a nuclear weapon detonation for certain source/platform orientations. The distancemore » at which damage occurs will depend on the weapon yield (n,{gamma}/kiloton) and size (kilotons).« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. North Carolina Univ., Chapel Hill, NC (United States). Dept. of Mathematics
  2. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
Department of Defense, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
10126324
Report Number(s):
CONF-940424-16
ON: DE94007229
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-84OR21400
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: 8. international conference on radiation shielding,Arlington, TX (United States),24-27 Apr 1994; Other Information: PBD: [1994]
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE; 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; RADIATION DOSES; M CODES; ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT; PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS; BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE; DIRECTED-ENERGY WEAPONS; SPACE; THERMONUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS; VULNERABILITY; INTEGRATED CIRCUITS; GAMMA RADIATION; NEUTRON FLUENCE; 450500; 440200; STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE; RADIATION EFFECTS ON INSTRUMENT COMPONENTS, INSTRUMENTS, OR ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

Citation Formats

Perez, C L, and Johnson, J O. Vulnerability assessment of a space based weapon platform electronic system exposed to a thermonuclear weapon detonation. United States: N. p., 1994. Web.
Perez, C L, & Johnson, J O. Vulnerability assessment of a space based weapon platform electronic system exposed to a thermonuclear weapon detonation. United States.
Perez, C L, and Johnson, J O. 1994. "Vulnerability assessment of a space based weapon platform electronic system exposed to a thermonuclear weapon detonation". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10126324.
@article{osti_10126324,
title = {Vulnerability assessment of a space based weapon platform electronic system exposed to a thermonuclear weapon detonation},
author = {Perez, C L and Johnson, J O},
abstractNote = {Rapidly changing world events, the increased number of nations with inter-continental ballistic missile capability, and the proliferation of nuclear weapon technology will increase the number of nuclear threats facing the world today. Monitoring these nation`s activities and providing an early warning and/or intercept system via reconnaissance and surveillance satellites and space based weapon platforms is a viable deterrent against a surprise nuclear attack. However, the deployment of satellite and weapon platform assets in space will subject the sensitive electronic equipment to a variety of natural and man-made radiation environments. These include Van Allen Belt protons and electrons; galactic and solar flare protons; and, neutrons, gamma rays, and X-rays from intentionally detonated fission and fusion weapons. In this paper, the MASH vl.0 code system is used to estimate the dose to the critical electronics components of an idealized space based weapon platform from neutron and gamma-ray radiation emitted from a thermonuclear weapon detonation in space. Fluence and dose assessments were performed for the platform fully loaded, and in several stages representing limited engagement scenarios. The results indicate vulnerabilities to the Command, Control, and Communication (C) bay instruments from radiation damage for a nuclear weapon detonation for certain source/platform orientations. The distance at which damage occurs will depend on the weapon yield (n,{gamma}/kiloton) and size (kilotons).},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/10126324}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1994},
month = {Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1994}
}

Conference:
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