New Download: Introduction to long-term biological effects of nuclear war 1963

Introduction to long-term biological effects of nuclear war

Introduction to long-term biological effects of nuclear war

• This report summarizes the state of knowledge and concepts about the reaction of biological systems to effects of nuclear weapons under nuclear war conditions, about the likely extent of damage to agricultural and wildlife ecosystems under nuclear war conditions, and about the factors involved in the long-term recovery potential of these systems after damage. In the study, an attempt was made to organize the available information for objective discussion of the subject, to outline the state of the art regarding capabilities to use the information (as well as its availability), and to make estimates of radiological effects using the available data and available (or new) computational methods. For several assumed types of nuclear attack, the effects of the radiation from fallout in some areas of the country could result in fatal doses to all higher forms of life in exposed conditions. A few percent of the total land area of the country would likely be denuded of vegetation for a short period of time. However, the location and extent of these areas, with respect to other aspects of resource damage and economic recovery problems, are such that the ecological consequences of the biological damage in these areas could have little or no influence on national recovery. Essentially all of the economically important agricultural land is recoverable within the first year after attack for the case in which the existing shelter system is used.