From: Everitt Mickey (evmick@pnv.net)
Date: Wed Jun 21 2000 - 22:59:24 MDT
On Wednesday, June 21, 2000 at 5:09 PM Chuck Kuecker is proported to have
said:
<Fallout in space could cause problems for satellites and manned
<stations unless the trajectory was planned carefully to avoid these areas.
I'm not a rocket scientist nor a nuclear engineer...consequently I don't
understand this. Please explain how fallout is possible in space. The very
concept is at odds with my understanding of the definition of fallout
My understanding is that a low airburst or a ground burst sucks dirt, and
"stuff" (cows, jackrabbits etc) into it's mushroom cloud therby causing it
to be radioactive.....which is then merrily strewn about by the prevailing
winds.....
An airburst, being up in the air (hence the name) doesn't cause "stuff" to
be radioactive....hence it's much cleaner
In space there is no "stuff".....whence the fallout?
The piddling alpha,beta and gamma radiation of a typical multimegaton H-bomb
amount to spitting in the ocean relative to the solar wind.
EvMick
Boise Idaho.
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