"In case of nuclear war". (Memo on the signal "Atom") - Vit

So, let's say a low-yield nuclear bomb exploded in your city. How long will you have to hide and where to do it to avoid the consequences of radioactive fallout?

Michael Dillon, a scientist at the Livermore National Laboratory, spoke about radioactive fallout and how to survive. After numerous studies of radioactive fallout, analysis of many factors and possible developments, he developed a plan of action in the event of a disaster.

At the same time, Dillon's plan is aimed at ordinary citizens who have no way to determine where the wind will blow and what the size of the explosion was.

small bombs

Dillon's fallout protection technique has so far been developed only in theory. The fact is that it is designed for small nuclear bombs from 1 to 10 kilotons.

Dillon argues that everyone now associates nuclear bombs with the incredible power and destruction that could have happened during the Cold War. However, such a threat seems less likely than terrorist attacks using small nuclear bombs, several times less than those that fell on Hiroshima, and simply incomparably less than those that could destroy everything if there was a global war between countries.

Dillon's plan is based on the assumption that after a small nuclear bomb, the city survived, and now its inhabitants must escape from radioactive fallout.

The diagram below shows the difference between the range of a bomb in the situation Dillon is investigating and the range of a bomb in the Cold War arsenal. The most hazardous area is shown in dark blue (the psi standard is psi, which is used to measure the force of an explosion, 1 psi = 720 kg/m2).

People who are within a kilometer of this explosion zone are at risk of radiation doses and burns. The range of radiation hazard from the explosion of a small nuclear bomb is much less than from Cold War thermonuclear weapons.

For example, a 10 kiloton warhead will create a radiation threat 1 kilometer from the epicenter, and radioactive fallout can travel another 10-20 miles. So it turns out that a nuclear attack today is not instant death for all living things. Maybe your city will even recover from it.

What to do if the bomb exploded

If you see a bright flash, do not go to the window - you may get hurt while looking around. As in the case of thunder and lightning, the blast wave travels much more slowly than the explosion.

Now you have to take care of fallout protection, but in case of a small explosion, you do not need to look for a special isolated shelter. For protection, it will be possible to hide in an ordinary building, you just need to know which one.

30 minutes after the explosion, you must find a suitable shelter. In 30 minutes, all the initial radiation from the explosion will disappear, and the main danger will be radioactive particles, the size of a grain of sand, which will settle around you.

Dillon explains:

If you're in an unreliable shelter that can't provide tolerable protection during a disaster, and you know there isn't any such building nearby within 15 minutes, you'll have to wait half an hour and then go look for it. Make sure that before you enter the shelter, you will not have radioactive substances the size of sand particles on you.

But what kind of buildings can become a normal shelter? Dillon says the following:

There should be as many obstacles and distance as possible between you and the consequences of the explosion. Buildings with thick concrete walls and roofs, lots of earth, like when you sit in a basement surrounded by earth on all sides. You can also go deep into large buildings in order to be as far as possible from the open air with the consequences of the disaster.

Think about where you can find such a building in your city, and how far it is from you.

Maybe it's your basement or a building with lots of interior spaces and walls, a library with bookshelves and concrete walls, or something else. Just choose buildings that you can reach within half an hour and don't rely on transportation - many will flee the city and the roads will be completely clogged.

Let's say you got to your shelter, and now the question arises: how long to stay in it until the threat has passed? The films show different developments of events, ranging from a few minutes in a shelter to several generations in a bunker. Dillon claims that they are all very far from the truth.

It's best to stay in the shelter until help arrives.

Considering that we are talking about a small bomb with a radius of destruction of less than a mile, the rescuers must react quickly and begin the evacuation. In the event that no one comes to the rescue, you need to spend at least a day in the shelter, but still it is better to wait until the rescuers arrive - they will indicate the desired evacuation route so that you do not jump out to places with high levels of radiation.

The principle of operation of radioactive fallout

It may seem strange that it would be safe enough to leave the shelter after a day, but Dillon explains that the biggest danger after the explosion comes from early radioactive fallout, and they are heavy enough to settle within a few hours after the explosion. As a rule, they cover the area in the immediate vicinity of the explosion, depending on the direction of the wind.

These large particles are the most dangerous because of the high levels of radiation that will ensure the immediate onset of radiation sickness. In this they differ from smaller doses of radiation, which are many years after the incident.

Taking refuge in a shelter will not save you from the prospect of cancer in the future, but it will prevent a quick death from radiation sickness.

It is also worth remembering that radioactive contamination is not a magical substance that flies around and penetrates anywhere. There will be a limited region with a high level of radiation, and after you leave the shelter, you will need to get out of it as soon as possible.

This is where you need rescuers who will tell you where the border of the danger zone is and how far you need to go. Of course, in addition to the most dangerous large particles, many lighter ones will remain in the air, but they are not capable of causing immediate radiation sickness - what you are trying to avoid after an explosion.

Dillon also noted that radioactive particles decay very quickly, so that being outside the shelter 24 hours after the explosion is much safer than immediately after it.

Our pop culture continues to relish the theme of a nuclear apocalypse, when only a few survivors remain on the planet, hiding in underground bunkers, but a nuclear attack may not be so devastating and large-scale.

So you should think about your city and figure out where to run if something happens. Maybe some ugly concrete building that has always seemed to you a miscarriage of architecture will one day save your life.

A nuclear war is usually called a hypothetical clash between countries or military-political blocs that have thermonuclear or nuclear weapons and put them into action. Nuclear weapons in such a conflict will become the main means of destruction. The history of nuclear war, fortunately, has not yet been written. But after the start of the Cold War in the second half of the last century, a nuclear war between the US and the USSR was considered a very likely development.

• What happens if a nuclear war breaks out?
• Doctrines of nuclear war in the past
• US nuclear doctrine during the thaw
• Russian nuclear doctrine

What happens if a nuclear war breaks out?

Many fearfully asked the question: what will happen if a nuclear war breaks out? This is a major environmental hazard:

• Explosions would release a huge amount of energy.
• Ashes and soot from fires would block the sun for a long time, which would lead to the effect of "nuclear night" or "nuclear winter" with a sharp drop in temperature on the planet.
• The apocalyptic picture was to be supplemented by radioactive contamination, which would have no less catastrophic consequences for life.

It was assumed that most of the countries of the world would inevitably be drawn into such a war, directly or indirectly.

The danger of a nuclear war is that it would lead to a global environmental catastrophe and even the death of our civilization.

What will happen in the event of a nuclear war? A powerful explosion is only part of the disaster:

1. As a result of a nuclear explosion, a giant fireball is formed, the heat from which chars or completely burns all life at a sufficiently large distance from the epicenter of the explosion.
2. A third of the energy is released in the form of a powerful light pulse, which is a thousand times brighter than the radiation of the sun, so it instantly ignites all flammable materials (fabrics, paper, wood), and causes third-degree burns to people.
3. But the primary fires do not have time to flare up, because they are partially extinguished by a powerful blast wave. Flying burning debris, sparks, household gas explosions, short circuits and burning petroleum products cause extensive and already long-lasting secondary fires.
4. Separate fires merge into a terrifying fiery tornado that can easily burn down any metropolis. Such fiery tornadoes, arranged by the allies, destroyed Dresden and Hamburg during the Second World War.
5. Since heat is released in large quantities in mass fires, the heated air masses rush upward, forming hurricanes near the surface of the earth, bringing new portions of oxygen to the focus.
6. Dust and soot ascend to the stratosphere, forming a giant cloud there that blocks the sunlight. A prolonged blackout leads to a nuclear winter.

After a nuclear war, the Earth would hardly have remained at least a little like its former self, it would be scorched, and almost all living things would die.

An instructive video about what will happen if a nuclear war starts:

Doctrines of nuclear war in the past

The first doctrine (theory, concept) of nuclear war arose immediately after the end of World War II, in the United States. Then it was invariably reflected in the strategic concepts of NATO and the United States. However, the military doctrine of the USSR also assigned nuclear missiles a decisive role in the next big war.

Initially, a massive nuclear war scenario was envisaged with the unlimited use of all available nuclear weapons, and their targets would be not only military, but also civilian objects. It was believed that in such a conflict, the advantage would have been given to the country that was the first to launch a massive nuclear strike against the enemy, the purpose of which was the preemptive destruction of his nuclear weapons.

But there was the main problem of nuclear war - a preventive nuclear attack might not be so effective, and the enemy would be able to launch a retaliatory nuclear strike on industrial centers and large cities.

Since the late 1950s, a new concept of "limited nuclear war" has emerged in the United States. In the 1970s, according to this concept, various weapons systems could be used in a hypothetical armed conflict, including operational-tactical and tactical nuclear weapons, which had limitations on the scale of use and means of delivery. Nuclear weapons in such a conflict would only be used to destroy military and important economic facilities. If a distortion of history could happen, nuclear wars in the recent past could actually follow a similar scenario.

One way or another, but the United States is still the only state that in practice used nuclear weapons in 1945 not against the military, but dropped 2 bombs on the civilian population of Hiroshima (August 6) and Nagasaki (August 9).

Hiroshima

On August 6, 1945, under the guise of the Potsdam Declaration, which set an ultimatum regarding the immediate surrender of Japan, the American government sent an American bomber to the Japanese Islands, and at 08:15 Japanese time, it dropped the first nuclear bomb on the city of Hiroshima, which had the code name "Kid".

The power of this charge was relatively small - about 20,000 tons of TNT. The explosion of the charge occurred at an altitude of about 600 meters above the ground, and its epicenter was above the Sima hospital. Hiroshima was not chosen by chance as the target of a demonstrative nuclear strike - it was there at that time that the General Staff of the Japanese Navy and the Second General Staff of the Japanese Army were located.

• The explosion destroyed a large part of Hiroshima.
• Over 70,000 people were killed instantly.
• Near 60,000 died later from wounds, burns and radiation sickness.
• Within a radius of about 1.6 kilometers there was a zone of complete destruction, while fires spread over an area of ​​11.4 square meters. km.
• 90% of the city's buildings were either completely destroyed or badly damaged.
• The tram system miraculously survived the bombardment.

In the six months following the bombing, they died from its consequences. 140,000 people.

This “insignificant”, according to the military, charge once again proved that the consequences of a nuclear war for humanity are devastating, as for a race.

Sad video about the nuclear attack on Hiroshima:

Nagasaki

On August 9, at 11:02 am, another American plane dropped another nuclear charge on the city of Nagasaki - "Fat Man". It was blown up high above the Nagasaki Valley, where industrial plants were located. The second consecutive American nuclear attack on Japan caused new catastrophic destruction and loss of life:

• 74,000 Japanese were killed instantly.
• 14,000 buildings were completely destroyed.

In fact, these terrible moments can be called the days when a nuclear war almost started, since bombs were dropped on civilians, and only a miracle stopped the moment when the world was on the brink of nuclear war.

US nuclear doctrine during the thaw

After the end of the Cold War, the American doctrine of limited nuclear war was transformed into the concept of counterproliferation. It was first voiced by US Secretary of Defense L. Espin in December 1993. The Americans considered that with the help of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons it was no longer possible to achieve this goal, therefore, at critical moments, the United States reserved the right to inflict "disarming strikes" on nuclear facilities of objectionable regimes.

In 1997, a directive was adopted according to which the US Army must be ready to strike at foreign facilities for the production and storage of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons. And in 2002, the concept of counterproliferation was included in the US national security strategy. Within its framework, the United States intended to destroy nuclear facilities in Korea and Iran or take control of Pakistani facilities.

Russian nuclear doctrine

The military doctrine of Russia also periodically changes its wording. In the latter version, Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons if not only nuclear or other types of weapons of mass destruction, but also conventional weapons were used against it or its allies, if this threatens the very foundations of the existence of the state, which may become one of the causes of nuclear war. This indicates the main thing - the likelihood of a nuclear war is currently quite acute, but the rulers understand that no one can survive in this conflict.

Russian nuclear weapons

An alternative story with a nuclear war developed in Russia. The US State Department for 2016 estimated, based on the data provided under the START-3 treaty, that 508 strategic nuclear launchers were deployed in the Russian army:

• intercontinental ballistic missiles;
• strategic bombers;
• submarine missiles.

In total, there are 847 nuclear charge carriers, on which 1796 charges are installed. It should be noted that nuclear weapons in Russia are being reduced quite intensively - in half a year their number is reduced by 6%.

With such weapons and more than 10 countries in the world that have officially confirmed the presence of nuclear weapons, the threat of nuclear war is a global problem, the prevention of which is a guarantee of life on Earth.

Are you afraid of nuclear war? Do you think it will come and how soon? Share your opinion or guesses in the comments.

The explosion of a nuclear mine, depending on the rated power, causes catastrophic destruction within a radius of one to ten kilometers from the place of initiation. Energies of monstrous magnitudes rage at the epicenter of the explosion: the temperature rises to several hundred thousand degrees, the pressure increases abruptly from five to eight times, then sharply drops below atmospheric. Surviving at the epicenter is impossible even in a fortified shelter: a surge of seismic activity leads to the instantaneous collapse of any existing cavities located closer than two kilometers from the earth's surface.

It is possible to survive in the zone of secondary damage. At a distance of more than ten kilometers from the site of the explosion, the increase in temperature is insignificant, but there are other damaging factors that change over time. When a nuclear strike alert is triggered, take cover as quickly as possible. In the ideal case, it will be a subway or a specialized bomb shelter. Less reliable shelters include basements and concrete fortifications located below ground level. At the moment of the explosion, a bright flash is observed in the sky, which the human eye is still able to discern. In a few seconds, the brightness of the light grows to a light emission of monstrous power.

light emission

If there are no suitable fortifications around, you should hide behind a ledge of high-density opaque material as quickly as possible. Concrete barriers, large stones, walls of buildings will work great. If there is nothing of the kind, you should be at least 1-1.5 meters below ground level. Intense light radiation lasts from 30 to 80 seconds, heating objects up to several hundred degrees, so the presence of a person in an open space within a radius of up to 30 kilometers from the explosion is deadly. The action of light radiation causes widespread fires and melting, partially destroys buildings.

penetrating radiation

After 40 seconds after initiation, hard ionizing radiation acts, which can cause death almost instantly. The effect of radiation falls on the stage of residual glow. Stone walls, concrete ceilings and the thickness of the soil can protect against the effects of penetrating radiation, but you need to wait until the end of the active phase of the explosion.

shock wave

One minute after the initiation of the nuclear charge, the supersonic shock wave goes beyond the epicenter and loses speed as it propagates. Deep cellars and wells remain reliable shelter from the shock wave; in their absence, you can hide in the folds of the terrain. In open areas, the wave is capable of lifting up to two meters of soil into the air.

radiation pollution

After the explosion, it is necessary to leave the affected area as soon as possible. After 6-10 hours, the primary precipitation of suspended particles of decomposition products occurs on the surface. You should leave against the wind if it is directed to the epicenter of the explosion or to one of the sides. If the wind blows from the epicenter, you should leave the affected area perpendicular to the direction of the air flow.

Most of the destruction from a nuclear explosion will come from a shock wave rushing at supersonic speeds (more than 350 m/s in the atmosphere). While no one saw, we took the W88 thermonuclear warhead with a yield of 475 kilotons, which is in service with the United States, and found out that when it explodes within a radius of 3 km from the epicenter, there will be absolutely nothing and no one left; at a distance of 4 km, the buildings will be thoroughly destroyed, and at a distance of 5 km and further, the destruction will be medium and weak. The chances of survival will appear only if you are at least 5 km from the epicenter (and then if you have time to hide in the basement).

light emission

Causes ignition of combustible materials. But even when you are far from gas stations and warehouses with Moment, you risk getting burns and eye damage. Therefore, hide behind some obstacle like a huge stone block, cover your head with a sheet of metal or other non-combustible thing and close your eyes. After exploding W88 at a distance of 5 km, you may not be killed by the shock wave, but the light beam can cause second-degree burns. These are the ones with nasty blisters on the skin. At a distance of 6 km there is a risk of getting first-degree burns: redness, swelling, swelling of the skin - in a word, nothing serious. But the most pleasant thing will happen if you manage to be 7 km from the epicenter: an even tan is guaranteed.

electromagnetic pulse

If you are not a cyborg, the impulse is not terrible for you: it disables only electrical and electronic equipment. Just know that if a mushroom cloud appears on the horizon, it is useless to take a selfie in front of it. The range of the pulse depends on the height of the explosion and the environment and ranges from 3 to 115 km.

penetrating radiation

Despite such a terrible name, the thing is cheerful and harmless. It destroys all living things only within a radius of 2-3 km from the epicenter, where you will be killed anyway by a shock wave.

radioactive contamination

The meanest part of a nuclear explosion. It is a huge cloud consisting of radioactive particles raised into the air by an explosion. The territory of the spread of radioactive contamination is highly dependent on natural factors, primarily on the direction of the wind. If you blow up W88 with a wind at a speed of 5 km / h, the radiation will be dangerous at a distance of up to 130 km from the epicenter in the direction of the wind (the infection does not spread further than 3 km against the wind). The rate of death from radiation sickness depends on the remoteness of the epicenter, weather, terrain, the characteristics of your body and a bunch of other factors. Infected people can either die instantly or live for years. How this happens is purely a matter of luck.

As they say - if a gun hangs on the wall, it will fire someday. The same can be said about stockpiles of nuclear weapons in different countries. It sounds terrible and sad, but a nuclear explosion may not necessarily occur as a result of military aggression. This can happen due to improper storage and transportation, due to testing errors, in quality.

Let's hope our society is smart enough to never start a nuclear war. But still, you need to know how to behave in any life situation, so we advise you to familiarize yourself with these rules.

1. Nuclear alert

With modern means of communication and warning, it is simply impossible not to find out about the impending danger. Here you can object that the people will know about everything last, when it is already useless to save themselves. But if the incident is really serious, you will learn about it even from a neighbor, and even from a cat.

Turn on the TV or radio immediately and listen carefully to the information about and further instructions. The main thing is to listen to everything to the end and not to panic.

2. Bomb shelter

When you hear the siren's lingering signal, know that you have about 10 minutes to hide in a safe place. If you live in a metropolis, take cover, but keep in mind that after the alarm, the subway entrance will close in 5 minutes. In addition, there are air-raid shelters under many high-rise buildings built during the Soviet era. Even if they have already been remade for other purposes a long time ago, the walls remain the same and they will save you from trouble.

If you are far away from any bomb shelters and cellars, or simply started to panic, take cover in any building or behind a stone wall, cover your head with your hands and open your mouth. Remember: in no case do not look at the explosion, even if you are far from the epicenter. You may be blinded by the flash. Taking a selfie is the dumbest idea ever.

3. About cover classes

From messages on the radio or from the Internet (here it is better to do this in advance) you will learn about the location of bomb shelters in your city. It is important to understand what their labeling means. The class of shelters is determined by the ability to withstand excess pressure from the shock wave: A-I (0.5 MPa), A-II (0.3 MPa), A-III (0.2 MPa) and A-IV (0.1 MPa ). The first 3 are intended for valuable specialists and the military. But do not despair, because often these objects are subject to further attack.

4. Threats of nuclear explosion

People who are "lucky" to be at the epicenter of a nuclear bomb explosion do not survive. can withstand an explosion, but the blast wave will destroy all life. If you see a huge crowd of people trying to get into a bomb shelter in a panic, it’s better not to push with them, but quickly hide in some basement. That way you'll have a better chance of saving your life.

5. Explosion of a nuclear bomb

Under the conditions of a nuclear threat, the main task is to survive at the moment of a nuclear missile strike. Therefore, do not try to waste time collecting jewelry and a wardrobe for all occasions. It is enough to take the documents.

The survivors of the explosion need to urgently get away from the epicenter of the explosion. In this case . The military will create special points where they will provide the necessary assistance, identify the victims and restore order.

6. Radiation

If at the time of the nuclear explosion you were in a bomb shelter, then stay in it for a few more days. The fact is that, which will be on the surface, it is enough to kill a person. Within 3-4 days, especially dangerous radioactive substances will reduce their deadly effect. The longer you take refuge in a shelter, the more likely you are to stay alive and healthy.

7. In case of destruction of the shelter

If the bomb shelter is partially destroyed, it is not worth staying in it, even if there is enough water and food. The main reason is the same - radiation. area of ​​the epicenter of the explosion.

8. Exposure precautions

Follow these instructions when you go to the surface. Protect your respiratory organs with a gas mask or a construction mask, in extreme cases a damp rag will do. If possible, avoid moving during the wind. It is better to drink bottled water, which was packaged before the explosion. If there is none, you can drink from sources flowing towards the epicenter of the explosion, and not vice versa.

Try to cover all parts of the body so that radioactive dust does not fall on them. Until you leave the affected area, hide from the rain. Every drop can be deadly.

9. Decontamination

Upon arrival in a safe area, immediately take a bath, change clothes and that are given by the doctors. Do not panic and help others to cope with the trouble as much as possible.

The faster you leave the affected area, the more chances you have to survive and stay healthy. But if your strength has left you, remember: you should not lie down on the ground. And try to avoid the lowlands.