- Author
-
Brode, H. L.
|
Small, R. D.
- Title
- Nuclear Weapon Effect Research at PSR-1983: Volume 3. Fire Damage and Strategic Targeting. Technical Reort.
- Coporate
- Pacific-Sierra Research Corp., Los Angeles, CA
- Report
-
DNA-TR-84-308-V3,
July 31, 1984,
67 p.
- Contract
- DNA-001-83-C-0015
- Keywords
-
nuclear weapons
|
nuclear explosions
- Abstract
- The blast wave and the thermal, electromagnetic, and nuclear radiations from a nuclear explosion can all contribute to target damage. Current strategic targeting considers structural damage from the blast wave only. Although fire damage can be more intensive and can occur at greater ranges, it is treated as a bonus effect and is not included in targetng or damage assessments. Since the variables controlling fire damage have been considered too uncertain to allow reliable fire damage predictions, there has been little impetus to modify targeting strategies to account for this added effect. This report relates the probability of fire damage to blast-induced ignitions and those due to thermal radiation. Modifying influences such as weather conditions, target structure, and countermeasures are included. Since fires continue to develop long after the explosion, additional effects such as fire spread and fire-wind damage are also considered. The methods used in this study may be extended to calculate probable damage ranges for a specific target, and may be made compatible with current targeting algorithms [the Defense Intelligency Agency (DIA) vulnerability number methodology]. This study identifies the characteristics of an urban fire caused by a nuclear attach and the factors that determine the extent of fire damage.