Nuclear fallout

Fallout is the residual radiation hazard from a nuclear explosion and is named from the fact that it "falls out" of the atmosphere in to which it is spread during the explosion. It commonly refers to the radioactive dust created when a nuclear weapon explodes. This radio-active dust, consisting of hot particles, is a kind of radioactive contamination.

Tactical military considerations

Blast injuries and thermal burns, due to the use of nuclear weapons for military action, in many cases will far outnumber radiation injuries. However, radiation effects are considerably more complex and varied than are blast or thermal effects and are subject to considerable misunderstanding.

Related Topics:
Blast injuries - Thermal - Burns

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The closer to ground an atomic bomb is detonated, the more dust and debris is thrown into the air, resulting in greater amounts of local fallout. From a tactical standpoint, this has the disadvantage of hindering any occupation efforts until the fallout clears, but more directly, the impact with the ground severely limits the destructive force of the bomb. For these reasons, ground bursts are not usually considered tactically advantageous, with the exception of hardened underground targets such as missile silos or command centers such as Cheyenne Mountain. "Salting" enemy territory with a fallout-heavy atomic burst could be used to deny enemy access to a contaminated area but such use is generally not considered an ethical military action.

Related Topics:
Missile silo - Command center - Cheyenne Mountain - Ethical - Military

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