Table 2 Level of thermal fluence (calories/cm2) and corresponding overpressure (psi) for different sized nuclear weapons
From: Nuclear war between Israel and Iran: lethality beyond the pale
Weapon size, Height of Burst (HOB) Fission fraction (FF) | 15 Kt 35 m; 1.0 | 50 Kt 55 m 0.8 | 100 Kt 70 m 0.8 | 250 Kt 95 m 0.8 | 500 Kt 120 m 0.8 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thermal Effect | Fluence | psi | Fluence | Psi | Fluence | psi | Fluence | psi | Fluence | psi |
Fires Highly Probable (Binninger) | 23 | 4.6 | 26 | 4.1 | 29 | 3.8 | 32 | 3.6 | 35 | 3.6 |
Fires Probable (Binninger) | 12 | 2.8 | 13 | 2.5 | 15 | 2.4 | 16 | 2.4 | 18 | 2.4 |
Mass Fires Likely (Eden/Postol) | 10 | 2.5 | 11 | 2.3 | 12 | 2.2 | 14 | 2.2 | 15 | 2.2 |
3rd Degree Burns (50% chance) | 7.4 | 2.1 | 8.1 | 1.9 | 8.5 | 1.8 | 8.9 | 1.7 | 9.3 | 1.8 |
2nd Degree Burns (50% chance) | 4.8 | 1.2 | 5.2 | 1.3 | 5.5 | 1.4 | 5.8 | 1.4 | 6.0 | 1.4 |
1st Degree Burns (50% chance) | 2.4 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 1.1 |