Re: water as a radiation barrier
dricp@umich.edu (Ted Huston)
Wed, 16 Jul 1997 14:23:12 +0100
In article >, Help Desk wrote:
> Hi, I have an odd question which I'm hoping someone in this group can
> answer.
> I was looking at how bomb shelters are built underground and I
thought,
> why not under water. I am assuming that the bomb is not dropped directly
> on top of the shelter and that the shelter is about 50 feet under water
> or more. My question: Would the water (fresh and salt) be able to
> protect the people in the shelter from radiation and any other nuclear
> fallout.
The cold war is over, but if you want to keep building bomb shelters.....
Water is great at stopping neutron radiation. Paper will stop alpha
radiation. A thin sheet of aluminum will stop beta radiation. A good
pair of sunglasses will stop UV radiation. But if you want to stop
that nasty gamma radiation, the nasty Co-60 gamma rays from that
dirty bomb, then you need as much high-Z shielding as you can get.
That means Pb. Or lacking that, thick walls of steel. Or a very thick
wall or layer of dirt (average Z is higher than water, but much less
than Pb). Or lacking that, then as much distance between you and
the radiation as possible; I vote for a trip to Mars, myself. Radiation
dose drops as the square of distance between you and the source; that's
why the thicker the layer of dirt, [or if must use water (double the
amount over what you would need in dirt)], the more of it the better.
Then all you have to do is hope that the bomb doesn't come down right
on top of you.....
--
Ted Huston dricp@umich.edu
"Back off, man, I'm a scientist." -- Ghostbusters
Job Posting
unknown@rockvax.rockefeller.edu
Wed, 16 Jul 1997 19:24:45 GMT
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Research technician position open for masters level analytical chemist
or equivalent. The qualified applicant will possess familiarity with
biochemical analytical techniques such as fluorometry, isothermal
titration calorimetry, FPLC, analytical ultracentrifugation, and dynamic
light scattering. UNIX system administration skills required.
HHMI offers a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package.
Please forward resume including salary history to: HHMI at Rockefeller
University, Manager of Administrative Services, Box 269, 1230 York
Avenue, NY, NY 10021. EOE.
