Variabilities in the Natural and Nuclear Endoatmospheric Environment

Abstract

This document supplements a briefing on Uncertainties in the Prediction of High-Altitude Nuclear Effects. The intended audience consists of the SDS architects and engagement modelers who have to consider the nuclear (and other) environment but are under very severe constraints regarding computer running time so that very fast-running and thus simple models of atmospheric environment have been used. This material is a tutorial, intended to give the audience a physical feeling of the nature of the natural and nuclear endoenvironment (i.e., environments and heights of burst in the 0-100-km altitude range), pointing out the changes in nuclear phenomenology at different altitudes and the large variabilities in the natural atmosphere, including effects of turbulence, clouds, and rain. The factors to be considered for SDS modeling depend on the threat scenario under consideration, such as the number, altitude and yield of the nuclear bursts, and the nature of sensors under consideration (IR, UV/VIS, MMW; spectral and spatial resolution; sensitivity; active vs. passive sensors).

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 1992
Accession Number
ADA264158

Entities

People

  • Emest Bauer

Organizations

  • Institute for Defense Analyses

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Sensors
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Altitude
  • Atmospheric Motion
  • Blast
  • Databases
  • Detectors
  • Environment
  • Explosions
  • Explosives
  • Gamma Rays
  • High Altitude
  • Materials
  • Meteorology
  • Nuclear Explosions
  • Nuclear Fireball
  • Nuclear Radiation
  • Optical Properties
  • Turbulence

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Atmospheric Remote Sensing.
  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Nuclear and Radiation Engineering.