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To: ExSoldier

I've been traveling again and just starting to catch up on the thread. Noticed the interest in 150KT nuclear blasts, and made a few rough estimates to help out:


Reference 150KT nuclear device:

Just for comparism, the Soviet/Russian SS-18 Satan missile or the US ALCM-5 cruise missiles have warheads in that range.

The SS-18 warhead has different ranges from 150 KT to 550KT in yield, depending on if it uses MIRV's or a single warhead, if I remember correctly.

Blast radius: 3 miles approximately
Fallout radius: up to 40 miles depending on wind direction and windspeed
Kill radius: 2-3 miles radius of 100 percent casualties regardless of wind direction, and downwind fallout would carry the following approximate exposures: 1000 Rem exposure out to approximately 10-12 miles, 500 Rem to approximately 15, and 100 Rem out to approximately 40 miles if you are in the fallout path.

Pakistans nukes are believed to be in the 20-25 KT range. They are first generation and havent mastered the process of reducing payload weight.


Hope that helps out


3,856 posted on 06/09/2004 4:03:50 PM PDT by judicial meanz
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To: judicial meanz

Follow up to the last:

150 tons would affect about a 1-2 mile area, and have a fallout pattern extending 12 miles in a 1 Knot wind.


3,857 posted on 06/09/2004 4:07:49 PM PDT by judicial meanz
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To: judicial meanz
You're very knowledgable. Would you please go check out this site and tell us if that info is accurate?

The New York Scenario

I sent it to my father-in-law who holds a Ph.d in nuclear physics and actually knew both Oppenheimer and Teller. He also ran a nuke power plant until about twenty years ago when he retired. Now he's 80 and doesn't check his e-mail too often. So I haven't heard from him on the info posted in the article at that site.

3,875 posted on 06/09/2004 5:32:53 PM PDT by ExSoldier (When the going gets tough, the tough go cyclic. (R.I.P. harpseal))
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To: judicial meanz

Re- nukes. (Yes, I can't seem to stop thinking about them--time to go to the Mall.)

A friend of mine listens to NPR and told me that a few weeks ago, they were discussing the AQ nukes. Apparently it was reported that AQ had actually bought a strategic nuclear weapon from the former USSR. It was said to be in the megaton range, and had cost AQ a fortune.


4,024 posted on 06/10/2004 6:50:39 AM PDT by jerseygirl
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