Assessment of the consequences of the use of tactical nuclear weapons on the population and infrastructure in the regions of a nuclear explosion

Abstract

The article analyzes the process of formation and establishes the characteristics of the striking factors of a nuclear explosion of tactical nuclear ammunition with a power of 0.1 to 10 kt when damaging military facilities and the accompanying damage to the population of civilian communities and personnel of infrastructure facilities. Calculated are data on the parameters of air shock wave action zones, penetrating radiation flow, light pulse energy beam flow, and the dimensions of the zone of radioactive contamination of the area, which can create a negative impact on the population, residential buildings, personnel, and critical infrastructure facilities in the area of application of tactical nuclear weapons. It is shown that the zone affected by an air shock wave, depending on the type of explosion of tactical nuclear ammunition and its power, can reach a radius of up to 3100 m. Dangerous light pulse damage to the population and personnel located in the open area will be observed at a distance of 440 to 3700 m from the epicenter of the nuclear explosion. The negative impact of the penetrating radiation of a nuclear explosion on the population and personnel of critical infrastructure facilities will be observed at distances from 560 to 1300 m, depending on the type of explosion and the power of the tactical nuclear ammunition. The dimensions of the zone of radioactive contamination, in the case of the explosion of tactical nuclear ammunition, in which the most severe degree of radiation damage to the population and personnel of critical infrastructure objects will be observed, with their open location in the area, depending on the power and type of explosion, can reach from 1400 to 2600 m. And the zone in which it is necessary to carry out the priority immediate evacuation of the population can be from 3.4 to 44.0 km in the direction of the average wind. It was determined that the scale of radioactive contamination of the area will have the greatest values of the size of the areas of negative impact relative to other types of impressive factors of the nuclear explosion of tactical nuclear ammunition. In large areas of the regions adjacent to the area of application of the specified ammunition, a significant negative radiation effect will be created, which will require measures of radiation protection and evacuation of the population.