Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 14 views

    00b Preface

    Uploaded by

    cubanninja
    The document is a preface to a publication on the effects of nuclear weapons. It discusses how information on nuclear weapons has changed since previous editions, with new information from tests and studies. It aims to provide understanding of topics without technical details, and uses older units of measurement along with conversion factors.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    00b Preface

    Uploaded by

    cubanninja
    14 views2 pages
    The document is a preface to a publication on the effects of nuclear weapons. It discusses how information on nuclear weapons has changed since previous editions, with new information from tests and studies. It aims to provide understanding of topics without technical details, and uses older units of measurement along with conversion factors.

    Original Description:

    The Effects of Nuclear Weapons 3e

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    The document is a preface to a publication on the effects of nuclear weapons. It discusses how information on nuclear weapons has changed since previous editions, with new information from tests and studies. It aims to provide understanding of topics without technical details, and uses older units of measurement along with conversion factors.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    14 views2 pages

    00b Preface

    Uploaded by

    cubanninja
    The document is a preface to a publication on the effects of nuclear weapons. It discusses how information on nuclear weapons has changed since previous editions, with new information from tests and studies. It aims to provide understanding of topics without technical details, and uses older units of measurement along with conversion factors.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    PREFACE

    When "The Effects of Atomic Weapons" was published in 1950, the explosive
    energy yields of the fission bombs available at that time were equivalent to some
    thousands of tons (i.e., kilotons) of TNT. With the development of thermonuclear
    (fusion) weapons, having energy yields in the range of millions of tons (i.e.,
    megatons) of TNT, a new presentation, entitled "The Effects of Nuclear Weap-
    ons," was issued in 1957. A completely revised edition was published in 1962 and
    this was reprinted with a few changes early in 1964.
    Since the last version of "The Effects of Nuclear Weapons" was prepared, much
    new information has become available concerning nuclear weapons effects. This
    has come in part from the series of atmospheric tests, including several at very high
    altitudes, conducted in the Pacific Ocean area in 1962. In addition, laboratory
    studies, theoretical calculations, and computer simulations have provided a better
    understanding of the various effects. Within the limits imposed by security re-
    quirements, the new information has been incorporated in the present edition. In
    particular, attention may be called to a new chapter on the electromagnetic pulse.
    We should emphasize, as has been done in the earlier editions, that numerical
    values given in this book are not-and cannot be-exact. They must inevitably
    include a substantial margin of error. Apart from the difficulties in making
    measurements of weapons effects, the results are often dependent upon circum-
    stances which could not be predicted in the event of a nuclear attack. Furthermore,
    two weapons of different design may have the same explosive energy yield, but the
    effects could be markedly different. Where such possibilities exist, attention is
    called in the text to the limitations of the data presented; these limitations should not
    be overlooked.
    The material is arranged in a manner that should permit the general reader to
    obtain a good understanding of the various topics without having to cope with the
    more technical details. Most chapters are thus in two parts: the first part is written at
    a fairly low technical level whereas the second treats some of the more technical and
    mathematical aspects. The presentation allows the reader to omit any or all of the
    latter sections without loss of continuity.
    The choice of units for expressing numerical data presented us with a dilemma.
    The exclusive use of international (SI) or metric units would have placed a burden
    on many readers not familiar with these units, whereas the inclusion of both SI and
    common units would have complicated many figures, especially those with i
    logarithmic scales. As a compromise, we have retained the older units and added an
    explanation of the SI system and a table of appropriate conversion factors.

    ,
    i
    Preface
    Many organizations and individuals contributed in one way or another to this
    revision of "The Effects of Nuclear Weapons," and their cooperation is gratefully
    acknowledged. In particular, we wish to express our appreciation of the help given
    us by L. J. Deal and W. W. Schroebel of the Energy Research and Development
    Administration and by Cmdr. H. L. Hoppe of the Department of Defense.
    Samuel Glasstone
    Philip J. Dolan

    You might also like