Tuesday, March 31, 2009
What Must be Done
Nuclear weapons, pose one of the greatest threats to humanity. There horrific potential has been described in the previous paragraphs and I certainly hope I have convinced people to take action. Today, the worlds nuclear arsenal is comprised of about 50,000 nuclear weapons. This is spectacular compared to the 120,000 nukes available during the Cold War. Nukes MUST be dismantled as quickly as possible.
Terrifying Potential.
Since the Cold War, thousands of nuclear weapons have been tested by the world's nuclear powers United States, Russia, France, China, Great Britain, Israel, India, and Pakistan. (though the vast majority were tested by the US and Russia) many which dwarfed the bombs dropped on Japan.
A modern nuclear weapon has the yield of around 1 megaton(10,000 tons) of TNT, or 50 times the yield of the Nagasaki bomb. The damage from the nuclear bomb is usually caused by the shock wave, which can reach speeds of anywhere from 800 mph (at Hiroshima) to an astonishing 2000 mph, as at the Russian Tsar Bomb test, the largest in history. The amount of pressure exerted by the blast wave is measured in PSI, or pounds per square inch. Overpressures of 10-15 pounds per square inch in sufficient enough to level concrete buildings. At Hiroshima, overpressures of around 10 psi were observed in a half mile radius, with complete destruction(5 psi) extending for about a mile.(effects of a nuclear blast wave in Chinese test) Complete destruction was observed for almost 30 miles at the Tsar Bomb test, with partial destruction 20 miles further. Overpressures of 300 psi were under the fireball(it was detonated 10,000 feet above ground.) The mushroom cloud topped out at 200,000 feet, the detonation itself was about 50 megatons, 2000 times as powerfull as the bomb dropped over Nagasaki (it was capable of 100 megatons). This is 10 times the amount of explosives used in Word War II. Windows were shattered 700 miles away. Video of the test is below
The radiant heat from the fireball is devastating to people and buildings that are surrounding. The heat, which at the point of detonation is anything from 50 million to 500 million degrees fahrenheit, is easily enough to vaporize anything too close. At Hiroshima, several thousand victims were never found, because of their vaporization.
Most of the subsequent effects come from nuclear fallout. Nuclear fallout is radioactive dust and other particles that fall are blown around by natural winds. In large tests, fallout can travel hundreds of miles, poisoning civilians and causing cancer. In the 1950s at Bikini Atoll in Micronesia, fallout from US nuclear tests sickened hundreds of individual islanders and forces a mass evacuation of the surrounding islands. The Tsar Bomb, was designed to have almost zero fission, which significantly reduced the amount of fallout. Extremely high yield bombs could have fallout that could have long term effects on the ecology of the area denonated near.
One of the most controversial long term aspects of a high yield nuclear test, is a nuclear winter. The nuclear winter theory states that in a massive nuclear detonation, a large amount of dust and debris will fill the atmosphere, and reflect the sunlight, causing a global winter. Most researchers agree however, that there could simply not enough dust kicked up, even in large tests to have any effect on the climate. This has occurred large volcanic eruptions though, which hurl much larger quantities of ash and dust into the air than nuclear explosions. Mount Tambora on April 10, 1815 exploded with force of over 500 megatons of TNT, and threw enough volcanic ash into the atmosphere to significantly effect the earth's climate. A global famine ensued in 1816, caused by severe mid summer frosts and snow being reported worlwide. It was recongnized as the worst famine of the 19th century. Though large volcanic eruptions can dwarf the energy produced in large nukes, large eruptions are rare, while powerful nukes are common worldwide. Nukes also have a much greater destructive potential from their shock wave and heat.
A modern nuclear weapon has the yield of around 1 megaton(10,000 tons) of TNT, or 50 times the yield of the Nagasaki bomb. The damage from the nuclear bomb is usually caused by the shock wave, which can reach speeds of anywhere from 800 mph (at Hiroshima) to an astonishing 2000 mph, as at the Russian Tsar Bomb test, the largest in history. The amount of pressure exerted by the blast wave is measured in PSI, or pounds per square inch. Overpressures of 10-15 pounds per square inch in sufficient enough to level concrete buildings. At Hiroshima, overpressures of around 10 psi were observed in a half mile radius, with complete destruction(5 psi) extending for about a mile.(effects of a nuclear blast wave in Chinese test) Complete destruction was observed for almost 30 miles at the Tsar Bomb test, with partial destruction 20 miles further. Overpressures of 300 psi were under the fireball(it was detonated 10,000 feet above ground.) The mushroom cloud topped out at 200,000 feet, the detonation itself was about 50 megatons, 2000 times as powerfull as the bomb dropped over Nagasaki (it was capable of 100 megatons). This is 10 times the amount of explosives used in Word War II. Windows were shattered 700 miles away. Video of the test is below
The radiant heat from the fireball is devastating to people and buildings that are surrounding. The heat, which at the point of detonation is anything from 50 million to 500 million degrees fahrenheit, is easily enough to vaporize anything too close. At Hiroshima, several thousand victims were never found, because of their vaporization.
Most of the subsequent effects come from nuclear fallout. Nuclear fallout is radioactive dust and other particles that fall are blown around by natural winds. In large tests, fallout can travel hundreds of miles, poisoning civilians and causing cancer. In the 1950s at Bikini Atoll in Micronesia, fallout from US nuclear tests sickened hundreds of individual islanders and forces a mass evacuation of the surrounding islands. The Tsar Bomb, was designed to have almost zero fission, which significantly reduced the amount of fallout. Extremely high yield bombs could have fallout that could have long term effects on the ecology of the area denonated near.
One of the most controversial long term aspects of a high yield nuclear test, is a nuclear winter. The nuclear winter theory states that in a massive nuclear detonation, a large amount of dust and debris will fill the atmosphere, and reflect the sunlight, causing a global winter. Most researchers agree however, that there could simply not enough dust kicked up, even in large tests to have any effect on the climate. This has occurred large volcanic eruptions though, which hurl much larger quantities of ash and dust into the air than nuclear explosions. Mount Tambora on April 10, 1815 exploded with force of over 500 megatons of TNT, and threw enough volcanic ash into the atmosphere to significantly effect the earth's climate. A global famine ensued in 1816, caused by severe mid summer frosts and snow being reported worlwide. It was recongnized as the worst famine of the 19th century. Though large volcanic eruptions can dwarf the energy produced in large nukes, large eruptions are rare, while powerful nukes are common worldwide. Nukes also have a much greater destructive potential from their shock wave and heat.
Anatomy of the Beast
The forces that drive a nuclear fusion weapon are the same the power stars such as our sun. These two processes are Nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. Nuclear weapons can be powered through with either process, though in the case of today's weapons, both.
Nuclear fission, is separation or the break up of a sub-atomic nucleus. This process is rare in nature, though does indeed occur on earth. However, the fission reactions that occur on earth(there are only three site, located in Africa where it occurs), are significantly slower. These are caused by water seepage into underground uranium deposits, the reactions take thousands upon thousands of years, in contrast to man made nuclear weapons that release energy in a matter of nano-seconds I am going to refrain from listing the long confusing of the isotopes and atoms, which would create confusion. Nuclear fission is obtained by splitting the atom of plutonium by bombarding uranium particles at the nucleus. The process creates a nuclear chain reaction. A useful comparison, is an avalanche traveling down a mountain. As the avalanche picks up speed it dislodges oth
er rocks and rapidly becomes larger. The same can be said for a chain reaction. Fission reactions usually amount to more fallout, and less energy being released in the blast. Fusion reactions are more effective
Fusion reaction is a self explanatory term. It is the fusion of heavy sub-atomic particles. In nuclear fusion, heavier particles are used in the reaction creating a much more energetic reaction then in nuclear fission. Both processes can be harnessed to create an tremendously powerful reaction. This process is known is the Teller-Ulam process or design(A.K.A hydrogen bomb), named after the two scientists who formulated the method. This is the design that most modern nukes are modeled after.
(below)
A fission reaction pressurizes the core of the fusion component. Then a nuclear fusion reaction takes place, detonating the bomb. In pure fission bombs, there is a limit to how much material you can pack into bomb before it explodes. There is is no theoretical limit to this design.
Nuclear fission, is separation or the break up of a sub-atomic nucleus. This process is rare in nature, though does indeed occur on earth. However, the fission reactions that occur on earth(there are only three site, located in Africa where it occurs), are significantly slower. These are caused by water seepage into underground uranium deposits, the reactions take thousands upon thousands of years, in contrast to man made nuclear weapons that release energy in a matter of nano-seconds I am going to refrain from listing the long confusing of the isotopes and atoms, which would create confusion. Nuclear fission is obtained by splitting the atom of plutonium by bombarding uranium particles at the nucleus. The process creates a nuclear chain reaction. A useful comparison, is an avalanche traveling down a mountain. As the avalanche picks up speed it dislodges oth
er rocks and rapidly becomes larger. The same can be said for a chain reaction. Fission reactions usually amount to more fallout, and less energy being released in the blast. Fusion reactions are more effective
Fusion reaction is a self explanatory term. It is the fusion of heavy sub-atomic particles. In nuclear fusion, heavier particles are used in the reaction creating a much more energetic reaction then in nuclear fission. Both processes can be harnessed to create an tremendously powerful reaction. This process is known is the Teller-Ulam process or design(A.K.A hydrogen bomb), named after the two scientists who formulated the method. This is the design that most modern nukes are modeled after.
(below)A fission reaction pressurizes the core of the fusion component. Then a nuclear fusion reaction takes place, detonating the bomb. In pure fission bombs, there is a limit to how much material you can pack into bomb before it explodes. There is is no theoretical limit to this design.
Hiroshima & Nagasaki: A Glimpse of What was and What Could be.
World War II was coming to a close. Most of the Axis Powers had surrendered to Ally forces, however Japan was not willing to give in. Months and months of brutal war with Japan accomplished nothing for the US. The USA needed to end the war quickly, the atom bomb, offered a way out.
On August 6, 1945, the US B-29 bomber, Enola Gay, set course for Hiroshima, Japan. Hiroshima was a key military stronghold for Japan, hosting over 40,000 soldiers and almost 300,000 civilians. Enola Gay carried an unpleasant package: a 5 ton plutonium fission bomb nicked named "Little Boy", similar in design to Trinity. Once the bomber was centered over Hiroshima at 8:00 am, she dropped her deadly load. The bomb detonated about 2000 feet above ground level and massive fireball formed. The temperature under the fireball was over 8000 degrees fahrenheit, it instantly vaporized any one who was caught directly under the fireball. A supersonic shock wave, or blast wave propagated from the blast center, and leveled virtually all structures in it's path.
Only buildings of modern steel reinforcing survived, though many were severely damaged. Once the initial blast concluded, a massive firestorm engulfed Hiroshima, which raged for days. The death toll from the initial blast was approximatly 70,000. The yield of the blast was around 15 kilotons of TNT.On August 9th (my birthday unfornately), Nagasaki suffered a similar fate. Another plutonium fission bomb was dropped. The target, was missed because of a shortage of fuel, and crummy weather conditions. It was exploded in a valley next to Nagasaki, though was still able to cause untold amounts of destruction. Around 40,000 died from the initial blast.
As devastating as the explosions were, the worst was yet to come. Fission bombs, such as the ones dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, were known as 'dirty bombs'. This much of the bomb's power was derived from the its fallout and radiation. High amounts of radiation, are lethal for human beings and have two costly after affects: Birth defects and cancer. Radiation penetrates the outer stucture of the cell causes the cell to go haywire, replicating beyond control Over half of deaths in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were due to radiation poisoning and cancer.
All the chaos, was causes by miniscule bombs by today's standards. The effects of modern Nuclear weapons, are far worse
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The Dawn of a New Age
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On July 16 at 5:30 am 1945, a brilliant flash of light illuminated the desert of New Mexico. It outshone the sun, those who looked into the burst were temporarily blinded. The heat vaporized every object around it, and a powerful gust of wind knocked over viewers standing miles away. The terrifying explosion was not accompanied by screams or the sounds of the dying; but by thunderous applause .
What had occurred the July day, was the detonation of the world's first nuclear weapon. The bomb was commissioned by scientists and researchers working in the Manhattan project, a United States based scientific project who's sole purpose was to create the first nuclear bomb.
The scientists working on the bomb had mixed views as to what the nature of the explosion would be. The 5 ton sphere or "the gadget", loaded with plutonium,
was hoisted on top of of a steel tower. Many nuclear scientists believed it would be a dud, while other believed it would bring about the end of the world. The explosion, was about equivalent to 20,000 tons of TNT(20 kilotons). The test was deemed "Trinity." Scientists and journalists a couple days later (due to the fear of radiation poisoning), inspected the test site. The tower upon which it stood was almost completely vaporized, and the intense heat from the fireball melted a 1000 foot long section of the desert and formed a glassy crater. Everyone who inspected the site was stunned by the weapon's power, though despite the destruction caused by the blast, it was a small nuclear weapon and much more was to come.
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