- Author
-
Martin, S. B.
|
Holton, S.
- Title
- Preliminary Computer Program for Estimating Primary Ignition Ranges for Nuclear Weapons.
- Coporate
- Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory, San Francisco, CA
- Report
-
USNRDL-TR-866,
June 3, 1965,
81 p.
- Keywords
-
nuclear weapons
|
computer programs
|
ignition
|
exposure
|
detonation
|
thermal radiation
- Identifiers
- radiant exposure contours; ignition ranges; computer program format for radiant exposure contours; computer program format for ignition ranges
- Abstract
- A machine computer program is described for estimating the free-field, primary incendiary effects of nuclear weapons detonated under a variety of environmental conditions. The computational procedures are designed to treat (1) the dependence of thermal pulse duration on air density, up to 20 or 30 miles altitude, (2) the dependence of radiant exposures required to ignite kindling fuels on pulse duration, local humidity and the physical properties of the fuel, (3) the attenuation of thermal radiation by the atmosphere for a variety of atmospheres including clouded and hazy and (4) the enhancement of radiant exposure levels by high albedo surfaces such as snow and cloud cover. Output of the program takes the form of radiant exposure contours and primary ignition ranges expressed as horizontal distances from the burst point (or surface zero) in miles.