- Author
- Small, R. D. | Brode, H. L.
- Title
- Thermal Radiation From a Nuclear Weapon Burst.
- Coporate
- Pacific-Sierra Research Corp., Los Angeles, CA
- Book or Conf
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Asilomar Conference on Fire and Blast Effects of Nuclear Weapons, 17th. May 30-June 3, 1983, Pacific Grove, CA, 211-216 p., 1983
- Keywords
- nuclear blasts
- Abstract
- The different methods and correlations used to calculate the propagation of thermal radiation are reviewed and compared. A simple method to account for radiation enhancement by reflection from a superior cloud deck or snow cover, as well as attenuation of radiation by cloud cover below the burst is presented. The results show that the thermal "reach" may vary considerably. Additional calculations show that a significant fraction of the thermal energy may be incident after the arrival of the shock wave. Results for a range of weapon yields are presented, and the implications for blast-induced (secondary) fire starts are discussed.