How long is soil radioactive?

How long is soil radioactive?

The short radioactive half-life of iodine-131 (8 days) eliminated its significance as a soil contaminant within weeks of deposition. Cesium-137 (half-life 30 years), on the other hand, will effectively remain in the soil for centuries and, according to its availability to crops or pasture (see Section 2.5.

What is the smallest nuke?

W54
The W54 (also known as the Mark 54 or B54) was a tactical nuclear warhead developed by the United States in the late 1950s. The weapon is notable for being the smallest nuclear weapon in both size and yield to have entered US service.

How many explosions have been set off in NUKEMAP?

The first version of Wellerstein’s tool came out in February 2012, but he upgraded it to version 2.5 this month. Users thus far have set off more than 124 million explosions in Nukemap. Nukemap 2.5’s new features let you see where a cloud of radioactive fallout might drift based on local weather conditions.

How do you simulate nuclear explosions on a map?

Nukemap lets you simulate nuclear explosions on an interactive map. A science historian created the tool years ago but recently updated it. The new version uses real-time weather conditions to estimate a blast’s radioactive fallout zones. The new version can also export data to 3D mapping software like Google Earth.

What happens when a nuclear bomb is exploded?

Fireball (0.56 miles wide) — In the area closest to the bomb’s detonation site, searing flames incinerate most buildings, objects, and people. Radiation (1.24 miles wide) — A nuclear bomb’s gamma and other radiation are so intense in this zone that 50\% or more of people die within “several hours to several weeks,” according to Nukemap.

How far above a city can a nuclear bomb explode?

By default, Nukemap assumed a 150-kiloton-yield warhead would explode 1.03 miles above the city. An aerial detonation maximizes a nuclear bomb’s destructive power, since it allows the blast’s energy to spread out. If a bomb is detonated on the ground, the soil absorbs more of that energy.