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Introduction to the physics of nuclear weapons effects

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This book reviews the mathematical physics behind the initial nuclear radiation output of nuclear weapons, the blast wave, and the fallout radiation effects in considerable depth. In addition, it includes a very good overview of effects from high altitude nuclear detonations, the climatic effects from dust (utilizing research on the settling of fine fallout particles to study the duration and fate of dust in the stratosphere and troposphere), and the technical basis for the prediction of fallout radiation doses. The material on the physics of fission and thermonuclear reactions is relatively technical in order to allow the outputs of neutrons and gamma rays for a variety of weapon designs to be easily understood and predicted, at the expense of the treatment of thermal, cratering, EMP and biological effects (which are briefly covered in a relatively few pages at least in this 2001 edition, as you would expect for the size of the book and the wide range of topics covered). The introductory chapters are beautifully written and are a physically understandable overview of the vital basics of atomic and nuclear physics. The book is a very useful supplement, for those concerned with the precise prediction of nuclear terrorist threats from fallout radiation, to Samuel Glasstone and Philip J. Dolan's "Effects of Nuclear Weapons", 3rd ed., 1977, and to Philip J. Dolan's "Capabilities of Nuclear Weapons", Change 1, Effects Manual EM-1, Defense Nuclear Agency, July 1978. It would be good if the chapters directly relevant to civil defense were openly published to further widespread public understanding of terrorist proliferation threats from nuclear weapons. Apparently a new edition is being prepared which may enable this to occur. Without a widespread public understanding of the scientific basis for nuclear weapons effects, threats can cause real fear and panic, furthering the secret nuclear proliferation by terrorist states. Popular exaggerations of fallout radiation and related effects today do nothing to realistically reduce the nuclear threat. Such unopposed exaggerations play into the hands of terrorists, just like the popular exaggerations of the threats from poision gas and high explosives in the 1930s (by those who believed that such deceptions would make the world more peaceful) actually encouraged aggressors, rather than preventing WWII.