Comparison of Mount Saint Helens volcanic eruption to a nuclear explosion. Technical note

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:5037779

Gould, K E

The phenomena and effects of airblast, ground shock, thermal radiation, cratering and ejecta, and debris cloud and deposition from the eruption of Mt. St. Helens were compared to those that would result from a nuclear explosion to determine if phenomena or effects were analogous and thus might provide useful data for military nuclear weapon effects studies. It is concluded that the phenomena are not analogous. In particular, airblast destruction was caused by clouds of ash driven by subsonic winds, rather than by a supersonic shock wave that would be the damage mechanism of a nuclear explosion. Because of the lack of analogy between the eruption and nuclear explosion phenomena, it appears questionable that any of the effects are analogous; therefore, it is unlikely that anything more of military interest can be gained from studying the effects of the eruption. However, key contacts for further information on the eruption and the associated research studies are given. The comparison of the eruption of Mt. St. Helens to the explosion of a 10- to 20-megaton nuclear weapon is misleading. Such comparisons serve no useful purpose and should be avoided.

• Research Organization: DOD Nuclear Information Analysis Center, Santa Barbara, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5037779
• Report Number(s): AD-A-112420/5; DASIAC-TN-80-3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
58 GEOSCIENCES
ERUPTION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
MT ST HELENS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
CLOUDS
CRATERS
GROUND MOTION
SHOCK WAVES
THERMAL RADIATION
VOLCANOES
CASCADE MOUNTAINS
CAVITIES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EXPLOSIONS
FEDERAL REGION X
MOTION
MOUNTAINS
NORTH AMERICA
RADIATIONS
USA
WASHINGTON
450200* - Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense- Nuclear Explosions & Explosives
580202 - Geophysics- Volcanology- (1980-1989)