All this happens in the background and is not perceived as a direct threat by the masses. Realistically, the use of a nuclear warhead seems a long way off, or so people thought. With the recent events in Ukraine, the launch of a long-range nuclear missile, which is also theoretically uninterceptable (like the Russian Kinshal missile), or the threat of nuclear war seems closer than the current generation has ever experienced. We would like to evaluate this catastrophic horror scenario in terms of possible dangers that could come from the air. What happens in the event of a nuclear explosion and what the effects of nuclear fallout and radiation contaminated particulates can have, we explain here.
What does the impact of a nuclear bomb mean?
A nuclear explosion occurs in six phases.
- Immediately after the explosion, there is a flash of light. This is so bright that it can irreparably damage the retina and lead to blindness.
- This is followed by an immediate heat wave that vaporises everything in the immediate vicinity.
- In parallel, there is a leakage of all-pervasive nuclear radiation with fatal consequences for organic life.
- This is followed by a fireball of destruction - the actual explosion. This explosion causes devastation to all infrastructure within a radius of 2 to 10 km around the explosion. This zone is called a heavy damage zone.
- The air blast that follows has a larger radius and, at several thousand kilometres per hour, is so fast that it sweeps away and destroys everything that is not built of solid reinforced concrete.
- In the end, nuclear fallout occurs - the settling of explosion remnants, radioactive material and radioactive dust particles.
This all happens very quickly - within a few seconds. Very tricky but informative is the NUKEMAP simulator by Alex Wellerstein, which determines the detonation radius for various nuclear bombs.
What is "nuclear fallout"?
Nuclear fallout occurs after a nuclear weapon explosion or a reactor accident. The radioactivity of the dust particles transports considerable radioactive radiation even outside the immediate radius of the explosion.
The radioactive dust released during the explosion reaches high regions of the atmosphere and is distributed in the various layers. Depending on wind and climatic conditions, this can be transported over many hundreds of kilometres. The dust can then become "fallout" in two ways: For example, the dust serves as a condensation nucleus for water droplets. This then falls to earth together with the rain and is absorbed and taken away from plants and living organisms. More critical, because it is not visible and yet potentially deadly, is the dust itself, which slowly settles as dust and falls to the ground. The wind can stir it up again and again and carry it further. The nuclear-contaminated dust or particulates is then inhaled with the air. These particles immediately damage the lungs and can lead to burns or tumours. Radioactive particulates particles can also penetrate deeper into the body via the alveoli and damage it.
How can we protect ourselves from nuclear fallout and measure the effects of particulate matter?
Nuclear fallout can also occur far away from the nuclear explosion. Therefore, the weather and wind direction should be monitored to identify and avoid critical zones. No more food should be grown within these fallout zones (at least for a certain time). In addition, nothing should be consumed that grows outside without protection.
Breathing masks such as FFP2 or FFP3 masks help against nuclear-contaminated dust. These provide very good protection against fine dust and thus also nuclear fine dust. The masks must be replaced at short intervals, as radioactive material accumulates on the mask.
particulates also penetrates the interior through closed windows, as these are often not completely sealed. Therefore, in the event of suspected nuclear fallout, it is also recommended to wear a high-quality protective mask indoors. Ideally, the particulates exposure in the room should be monitored. Even the smallest amounts particulates can carry a large radiation dose.
As a rule, dust particles larger than PM 10 do not penetrate closed windows because they quickly sink to the ground. The smaller the particles are, for example PM 2.5 [particles smaller than 2.5 µm] or PM 1 [particles smaller than 1 µm], the longer they remain suspended in the air and can become dangerous.
Measuring particulates - with the air-Q air measuring device
With a measuring device for particulates, such as the air-Q, you can check the components of the indoor air. The air-Q measures particulates by means of an infrared laser. The measuring method allows fine dust particles of different sizes to be well separated and detected. The sensor used therefore offers particularly good measurement accuracy.
(Contributed image: Vinitchavat/ Shutterstock & Canva edit)
