BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF PRESSURE PHENOMENA OCCURRING INSIDE PROTECTIVE SHELTERS FOLLOWING A NUCLEAR DETONATION

In two series of experiments 277 experimental animals were exposed under selected conditions in six different general types of instrumented above- and below-ground shelters to blast produced by nuclear explosions. The distance of the several structures from Ground Zero ranged from 1050 to 5500 ft. The most severe alterations in the pressure environment occurring inside the structures followed the detonation of a nuclear device with a yield approximately 50 per cent greater than nominal. The highest overpressure to which animals were exposed was 85.8 psi, the rise time of which was 4 msec. Following the nuclear explosions, all animals were recovered, examined, sacrified, and subjected to gross and microscopic pathological study. All lesions were tabulated and described. The results of pressure-time data, documenting the variations on the pressure environment, are presented and analyzed, and an exploratory attempt is made to relate the alterations in the pressure environment to the associated pathology observed. A critical review of selected material from the blast and related literature is presented. Rept. on Operation Teapot, Nevada Test Site, Feb-May 1955.