Chapter 7
Physical Effects of Radiological Weapons
On March 11, 2001 a portion of the floor of the Pacific Ocean was ripped by one of
the largest earthquakes ever recorded. The ensuing tsunami hammered the Japanese
coastline, obliterating neighborhoods and industrial districts, and killing over 15,000
people who drowned, were buried by sediments, or were swept out to sea. Among
other things, this tsunami also set in motion a chain of events that led to a series of
nuclear reactor accidents at the Fukushima Dai’ichi reactor site; as a result, three
nuclear reactors melted down, releasing radionuclides into the atmosphere and into
the ocean. The total death toll due to radiation exposure during the emergency and
for the five decades following the accident was estimated by the World Health Organization to be zero; to date there has been one death attributed to radiation exposure
by the Japanese government, although the WHO noted that “the time for onset was
shorter than the minimum latency period for radiation-induced leukemia” [1].
In spite of this great disparity between the toll taken by the tsunami compared that
from radiation, the overwhelming perception on the part of the general public is that
of a radiological disaster with little to no consideration of the physical damage and
the fatalities caused by the earthquake and tsunami. In the aftermath of a radiological
attack, while the radiological aspects of the attack will likely dominate the public
discussion and perception in a similar manner, we cannot lose sight of the fact that an
attack has taken place—very possibly involving large quantities of explosives—and
that the physical effects of this attack must be considered during the initial response
as well as during subsequent recovery efforts. At the very least, it would be a shame
for an emergency responder to be so intent on monitoring radiation dose rates that
they walk in front of a truck or step on a live electrical cable.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
P. A. Karam, Radiological and Nuclear Terrorism,
Advanced Sciences and Technologies for Security Applications,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69162-2_7
61
Physical Effects of Radiological Weapons
On March 11, 2001 a portion of the floor of the Pacific Ocean was ripped by one of
the largest earthquakes ever recorded. The ensuing tsunami hammered the Japanese
coastline, obliterating neighborhoods and industrial districts, and killing over 15,000
people who drowned, were buried by sediments, or were swept out to sea. Among
other things, this tsunami also set in motion a chain of events that led to a series of
nuclear reactor accidents at the Fukushima Dai’ichi reactor site; as a result, three
nuclear reactors melted down, releasing radionuclides into the atmosphere and into
the ocean. The total death toll due to radiation exposure during the emergency and
for the five decades following the accident was estimated by the World Health Organization to be zero; to date there has been one death attributed to radiation exposure
by the Japanese government, although the WHO noted that “the time for onset was
shorter than the minimum latency period for radiation-induced leukemia” [1].
In spite of this great disparity between the toll taken by the tsunami compared that
from radiation, the overwhelming perception on the part of the general public is that
of a radiological disaster with little to no consideration of the physical damage and
the fatalities caused by the earthquake and tsunami. In the aftermath of a radiological
attack, while the radiological aspects of the attack will likely dominate the public
discussion and perception in a similar manner, we cannot lose sight of the fact that an
attack has taken place—very possibly involving large quantities of explosives—and
that the physical effects of this attack must be considered during the initial response
as well as during subsequent recovery efforts. At the very least, it would be a shame
for an emergency responder to be so intent on monitoring radiation dose rates that
they walk in front of a truck or step on a live electrical cable.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
P. A. Karam, Radiological and Nuclear Terrorism,
Advanced Sciences and Technologies for Security Applications,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69162-2_7
61