Nuclear explosion mushroom. Nuclear mushroom - sinister explosion symbol

Nuclear mushroom - a mushroom cloud that appears after a nuclear or thermonuclear explosion, also called a radioactive cloud. It is named so because of the similarity of shape with the shape of the fruiting body of mushrooms. The mushroom cloud is formed in all land-based nuclear explosions, but this is not a distinctive feature of a nuclear explosion. A mushroom cloud is formed during ordinary explosions of sufficient power, during volcanic eruptions, strong fires and meteorite falls.

Physics of the phenomenon

The formation of a nuclear mushroom is the result of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability arising from the ascent of the dust cloud. The air heated by the explosion rises up, swirls into an annular vortex and pulls a “leg” - a column of dust and smoke from the earth's surface. At the edges of the vortex, the air cools, becoming like an ordinary cloud due to the condensation of water vapor.

"Nuclear mushroom" after the end of the ascent is a highly developed cumulonimbus cloud of a mushroom shape, its top reaches a height of 15-20 km with an explosion power of about 1 megaton. After an explosion of a sufficiently high power, heavy rains fall out of the cloud, which can extinguish some of the ground fires along the path of the cloud.

A special danger after a nuclear or thermonuclear explosion, especially a ground explosion, is a radioactive cloud. Dust particles containing radioactive substances attract water vapor and around them, as the cloud rises and cools, drops of water are quickly formed, falling to the ground in the form of radioactive rain, hail, snow, etc. Precipitation of a cloud of a nuclear fungus is a source of radioactive contamination and pose a threat to living beings.

A nuclear cloud does not form in all types of nuclear explosions. In space, high-altitude, underwater and deep underground (camouflage) nuclear explosions, a mushroom cloud is not formed.

Image in culture

Nuclear mushroom on the emblem of the Special Control Service of the GRU

IN modern culture The nuclear mushroom is the most commonly used symbol of nuclear war.

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See what "Nuclear mushroom" is in other dictionaries:

English. Nevada Test Site ... Wikipedia

Mushroom is a special form of life, the kingdom of wildlife. Mushroom is a small river in the Msta delta, Novgorod region. Nuclear mushroom is the result of a nuclear explosion. Mushroom (surname) Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian surname. Famous ... ... Wikipedia

Noun., M., Uptr. cf. often Morphology: (no) what? mushroom, why? mushroom, (see) what? mushroom, what? mushroom, about what? about the mushroom; pl. what? mushrooms, (no) what? mushrooms, why? mushrooms, (see) what? mushrooms than? mushrooms, about what? about mushrooms 1. A mushroom is an organism ... ... Dictionary Dmitrieva

MUSHROOM, ah, husband. 1. A special organism that does not form flowers and seeds and reproduces by spores. Edible g. Poisonous g. Pogany g. (Toadstool). Hat, mushroom leg. White city The kingdom of mushrooms (one of the four higher spheres of the organic world; special). ... ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

- ... Wikipedia

mushroom - and/; m. see also. fungus, fungus, fungal 1) a) A special organism that reproduces by spores. Edible mushrooms. Poisonous mushrooms. Rotten mushroom. (\u003d poga / ... Dictionary of many expressions

- ... Wikipedia

AND; m. 1. A special organism that reproduces by spores. Edible mushrooms. Poisonous mushrooms. Rotten Mr. (\u003d toadstool). Hat, mushroom leg. Dried, salted, pickled mushrooms. White g. Red g. (\u003d Boletus). Rainy g. (White spherical with ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

IN the last days everyone is just discussing whether the third world war will begin between the USA and Russia or not. In the media and social networks, you constantly come across materials about the upcoming "nuclear apocalypse", which in turn provokes in many attacks of fear and hysteria. Over the years, we have already forgotten warning signals, and the younger generation knows about the threat only by computer games... Life tells what to do if a nuclear mushroom appears on the horizon.

It's not, of course, the Cuban Missile Crisis, but the degree of paranoia in the air has risen sharply. And although no one promises to turn other countries into "nuclear ashes", there are still enough reasons. The latest of these is the US threat to launch a missile strike on Syria.

The atomic threat has already been erased from the people's memory. Hardly anyone will now name what one long beep and two short beeps mean, or they will quickly answer where the nearest bomb shelter is. A mushroom mushroom on the horizon has become something of a zombie apocalypse - pure fantasy from books about stalkers and the third world war. We have imagined how the reader of such literature would survive after a real nuclear strike.

First day

A threat nuclear war was a tempting prospect for me. "Battles with marauders", "survival in radioactive forests", "clashes with mutants" - this sounded even cooler than "zombie apocalypse". I went online, found out that if something happened, Washington would start bombing cities at six o'clock in the evening, and read what products to take. I went to the dacha and took my grandfather's cartridges - in the event of the apocalypse, they will become the most valuable resource. I also bought a gun through an anonymous browser. In addition, I bought a used car in order to leave for the forest after the explosion.

Valuable tips:

The need to take weapons and ammunition with you is one of the most common myths about the nuclear apocalypse. Marauders and even more so mutants are nothing more than a figment of the imagination of writers. If you take weapons and cartridges with you, then you will have to part with them at the first checkpoint.
Instead of stuffing your backpack with pasta, take as much medicine as you can. You will need antibiotics, insulin, and a variety of wound care products. Please note: you will not get really effective anti-radiation agents in advance. Drinking iodine, as most manuals advise, is also not worth it, except for complacency.

Second day

Still from the film "The Book of Eli" / © Kinopoisk

A huge mushroom cloud appeared on the horizon. I admired it from the window of my house, then quickly grabbed my backpack and went down to the garage. He turned on the car and drove into the woods - to survive.

Valuable tips:

You hardly need transportation. And in the forest you will definitely not hide from the explosion (and subsequent radioactive fallout). If after the explosion you find yourself far from the affected area, then the machine, of course, will help. However, a pre-made car in your garage is not the most useful thing. In the first hours after the explosion, it is better to sit at home. If the glass is intact, then just post a signal for help and wait. You need to wait about three days - during this time, the radioactive background will significantly decrease.
The walls of the house are good at attenuating radiation pollution. Prepare as close-fitting clothing as possible and try to assess the situation. Don't panic. Turn on the TV and try to understand what happened - an explosion at a nuclear power plant, a terrorist attack, or the third began world War... After that, wait for rescuers or the military. Only they really know what to do. It is better not to believe the memos that have been roaming the Web for decades, and the manuals from the stalker's forums. Only the military has valid guidelines, and they are not suitable for civilians.
It is better not to stare at the "mushroom" - you can burn the retina of the eye.
Don't rely on mobile communications - if the third world war breaks out, then most likely there will be no access to it.

Shot from the movie "The Road" / © Kinopoisk

Valuable tips:

Not all metro stations are suitable. You need deep stations that have sliding doors and good ventilation. Among the deep stations are the Admiralteyskaya in St. Petersburg and the Park Pobedy station in Moscow. The subway may indeed be more useful than a bomb shelter, as it is regularly inspected. But sitting in the subway for a long time is also not recommended. When the background disappears, try to leave the affected area. At the same time, it is better to move underground - reduce your stay on the surface to a minimum.
Once again: no need to go or run anywhere. Try to figure out which explosion zone you are in.

Shot from the movie "The Road" / © Kinopoisk

Valuable tips:

Don't expect your life in a bomb shelter to be filled with dramatic events. Kitchen, toilet, bedroom - this is your route for the next couple of weeks.
The main entertainment is, of course, information from outside. The bomb shelters are equipped (if you're lucky) with contact points.
Despite the nervous situation, it is better not to run around the bomb shelter in order not to increase the production of carbon dioxide.

Shot from the movie "The Road" / © Kinopoisk

Day ten

We have first come to the surface. Now the adventures should surely begin: searching for food, hunting, fighting with marauders.

If you still have to look for food, then do it as far as possible from the affected area. We are talking about 100 kilometers from the epicenter of a nuclear explosion. Forget about hunting cats and dogs - the simpler the food, the less nuclides it contains. Therefore, it is better to do with plant foods. But in general, of course, it is wiser not to get food, but to eat exclusively canned food.
Better to stay with the military as long as possible. The military will assemble buses for the emergency evacuation of people. After being transferred to the campground, you will need to change your clothes and undergo decontamination. If the dose of radiation received is too high, you will be sent to the hospital. Also, you need to get anti-radiation products.
In the event of the beginning of the third world war, they will come for you from the recruiting office. The rest will be waiting for a transfer to the rear.
In the event of a single explosion, you will be transferred to children's camps and rest homes for temporary accommodation.

The painting is a rare image of a nuclear outburst that occurred immediately after the bombing, and shows a two-level cloud that was visible from Kaitaichi (part of modern Kaita), which is six miles east of downtown Hiroshima. A reprint of the image appeared in 1988 in a publication on japanese, but the whereabouts of the original were not known. There are only a few (two, perhaps three) other photos that capture the cloud from a good position from the ground, and according to the largest Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, there is only one photo that provides the clearest picture with separated layers of clouds, and this The photo was taken from the Enola Gay lightning strategic bomber (Boeing B-29).

It was filmed a few minutes later after the bomb dropped:

Asahi Shimbun and AFP have reported a recent confusion over data inconsistencies. The fact is that on back side the photograph is worth two minutes after the explosion, and in the book published in 1988 in which the photograph was published, editors noted the time at intervals of 20 to 30 minutes. Can these conflicting data be considered justified, relying solely on the information from the picture?

In search of the truth, the correspondent turned to the American Institute of Nuclear Physics and the historian Alex Wellerstein. He compared the image to another photograph containing unquestionable timestamps, as well as a graph prepared by scientists at the Manhattan Project that depicts the progression of the cloud. The scientist believes that compared to other images, this image looks like it was taken after the frame in which the cloud is believed to have reached an altitude of about 20,000 feet, which happened within about two to three minutes after the explosion. It turns out that this shot was taken a little later.

There are photographs taken after about 10 minutes that show that the cloud did take different forms at that time. Based on the resulting diagram, he placed this photo not in the "window" with an interval of two to five minutes, but referred it to a 20-30 minute interval.

Report addendum, Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, by Manhattan Engineer District, US Army Corps of Engineers, June 29, 1946. (Alex Wellerstein)

When you look at a photograph, your mind inevitably turns to people. What was it like for them in those first few minutes after the bomb was dropped? Here is Wellerstein's answer:

“Most of the direct effects of the bomb appeared within the first 10 seconds or so, and many of them even faster. The first thing that happened was the release of huge amounts of radiation and heat. Anyone who is exposed to this amount of radiation may not die instantly, but they will inevitably die soon enough. This will happen within a week or so. Radiation heat inflicted third-degree burns on people in a fairly wide radius.

Seconds later, there was tremendous pressure from the explosion. It's like a big stream of air. He blew on all the windows, knocking over the stoves that residents used to cook breakfast. Everything happened at 8:15 am or so, so all those little charcoal stoves were knocked over. Thus, a very large fire started in a couple of minutes. Because of all these tiny fires, as well as the heat from the bomb itself, most of these Japanese houses made of wood and cardboard are engulfed in flames. "

Everything was very bad, but the worst awaited them ahead: for a period of time from a couple of minutes to several hours, everything caught fire and mixed. Many people died .. they didn't know yet that they had been exposed to a fatal amount of radiation. And it was disastrous for the land. The fire continued to spread, and the winds rose in a tornado, which reached such power that, as the Catholic priest John A. Siemes recalled, "the wind began to uproot large trees and lift them high into the air."

The people caught up in this chaos could not understand that all this destruction came from one bomb. Father Siemes, who was two kilometers from the detonated bomb, remembered seeing a flash of light, and then heard the explosion. And about 10 seconds after the light flashed, shards of glass rained down. The entire window frame shattered into pieces and ended up in the room. Then he realized that it was a bomb exploded, and very close to his house.

However, even with the delay between the flash of light, sound, and explosion, Father Siemes and his colleagues went outside to see where the bomb had fallen. All of the survivors he later encountered spoke of the same impression that the bomb exploded very close to them. The fact that a powerful projectile, which exploded several kilometers away, could lead to this kind of severe destruction defied belief.

Physics of the phenomenon

The formation of a nuclear mushroom is the result of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability arising from the ascent of the dust cloud. The air heated by the explosion rises, swirls into an annular vortex and pulls a “leg” - a column of dust and smoke from the surface of the earth. At the edges of the vortex, the air cools, becoming like an ordinary cloud due to the condensation of water vapor.

"Nuclear mushroom" after the end of the ascent is a highly developed cumulonimbus cloud of a mushroom shape, its top reaches a height of 15-20 km with an explosion power of about 1 megaton. After an explosion of a sufficiently high power, heavy rains fall from the cloud, which can extinguish some of the ground fires along the path of the cloud.

A nuclear cloud does not form in all types of nuclear explosions. In space, high-altitude, underwater and deep underground (camouflage) nuclear explosions, a mushroom cloud is not formed.

Image in culture

Nuclear mushroom on the emblem of the Special Control Service of the GRU

In modern culture, the mushroom cloud is the most commonly used symbol of nuclear war.

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

See what "Nuclear mushroom" is in other dictionaries:

English. Nevada Test Site ... Wikipedia

- ... Wikipedia

High air explosion Questa (Operation Dominic) Atmospheric nuclear explosion nuclear explosion occurring in a dense enough ... Wikipedia

Robert Oppenheimer

Nuclear explosion

General Thomas Farrell:

Test name: Trinity
date: July 16, 1945
A place

1. Photo by Wikicommons

Test name: Baker
date: 24 July 1946
A place: Bikini Atoll Lagoon
Explosion type
Power: 23 kilotons.

2. Photo by US Navy

Test name: Castle Bravo
date: March 1, 1954
A place: bikini atoll
Explosion type: on the surface
Power: 15 megatons.

3. Photo by Wikicommons

Test name: Castle Romeo
date: March 26, 1954
A place
Explosion type: on the surface
Power: 11 megatons.

Test name: AZTEC
date: April 27, 1962
A place: Christmas Island
Power: 410 kilotons.

Test name: Chama
date: October 18, 1962
A place: Johnston Island
Power: 1.59 megatons

Test name: Truckee
date: June 9, 1962
A place: Christmas Island
Power: more than 210 kilotons

Part of Project Dominic - Test Series nuclear weaponsconsisting of 105 explosions. Test name: Dog
date: 1951
A place: Nuclear test site in Nevada

Test name: Fizeau
date: September 14, 1957
Power: more than 11 kilotons

10.

Test name: Annie
date: March 17, 1953
A place: Nuclear test site in Nevada
Power: 16 kilotons

11. Photo Wikicommons

Test name: "Unicorn" (fr. Licorne)
date: July 3, 1970
A place
Power: 914 kilotons

"Unicorn".

"Unicorn". Test name: Oak
date: June 28, 1958
A place
Power: 8.9 megatons

16.

Test name: Mike
date: October 31, 1952
A place
Power: 10.4 megatons

Test name: Grable
date: May 25, 1953
A place: Nuclear test site in Nevada
Power: 15 kilotons

18.

Test name: George
date: 1951
A place: Nuclear test site in Nevada

19.

Test name: Priscilla
date: 1957
A place: Nuclear test site in Nevada
Power: 37 kilotons

20.

21.

Castle romeo, which we wrote about above.

22.

17. Test name: Umbrella
date: June 8, 1958
A place
Power: 8 kilotons

23.

Test name: Umbrella
date: June 8, 1958
A place: Enewetok Lagoon in the Pacific Ocean
Power: 8 kilotons

24.

Test name: Seminole
date: June 6, 1956
A place: Enewetok Lagoon in the Pacific Ocean
Power: 13.7 kilotons

25.

Test name: YESO
date: June 10, 1962
A place: Christmas Island
Power: 3 megatons

The atomic bombings of Hiroshima (left, atomic bomb "Malysh", August 6, 1945) and Nagasaki (right, atomic bomb "Fat Man", August 9, 1945) are the only example of the military use of nuclear weapons in the history of mankind.

28.

The total death toll ranged from 90 to 166 thousand people in Hiroshima and from 60 to 80 thousand people in Nagasaki. Test name: Annie
date: March 17, 1953
A place: Nuclear test site in Nevada
Power: 16 kilotons

29.

As part of Operation Upshot Nothol, a series of 11 nuclear explosions by the United States in 1953. A series of images showing the destruction of a house 1 km from the explosion. AN602 (she is "Tsar Bomba" and "Kuz'kina Mother" - a thermonuclear aerial bomb developed in the USSR in 1954-1961 by a group of nuclear physicists under the leadership of Academician IV Kurchatov.

30.

The most powerful explosive device in the history of mankind. According to various sources, it had a capacity of 57 to 58.6 megatons. Test name Atomic bombings / atomic explosions
Cutting videos from nuclear tests around the world

"I became death, destroyer of worlds"
Robert Oppenheimer

Archival footage of nuclear bomb tests

Nuclear explosion - an uncontrollable process of releasing a large amount of thermal and radiant energy as a result of a chain nuclear fission reaction or a thermonuclear fusion reaction in a very short period of time. By their origin, nuclear explosions are either a product of human activity on Earth and in near-Earth space, or natural processes on some types of stars. Artificial nuclear explosions are powerful weapons designed to destroy large ground and protected underground military facilities, accumulations of enemy troops and equipment, as well as complete suppression and destruction of the opposing side, destruction of large and small settlements with civilians and strategic industries.

General Thomas Farrell: “The effect that the explosion had on me was magnificent, amazing and at the same time terrifying. Humanity has never created a phenomenon of such incredible and terrifying power. "

Test name: Trinity
date: July 16, 1945
A place: landfill in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

1. Photo by Wikicommons

This was the test of the world's first atomic bomb. In an area 1.6 kilometers in diameter, a giant violet-green-orange fireball shot up into the sky. The earth shuddered from the explosion, a white column of smoke rose to the sky and began to gradually expand, taking on a frightening mushroom shape at an altitude of about 11 kilometers. The first nuclear explosion hit the military and scientific. Robert Oppenheimer recalled the lines from the Indian epic poem Bhagavad Gita: “I will become Death, the destroyer of worlds”. Test name: Baker
date: 24 July 1946
A place: Bikini Atoll Lagoon
Explosion type: Underwater, depth 27.5 meters
Power: 23 kilotons.

2. Photo by US Navy

The purpose of the tests was to investigate the impact of nuclear weapons on naval vessels and their personnel. 71 ships were turned into floating targets. This was the 5th nuclear test.

The bomb was placed in a waterproof case and launched from the LSM-60 ship. 8 target ships were sunk, among them: ships LSM-60, Saratoga, Nagato, Arkansas, submarines Pilotfish, Apogon, dry dock ARDC-13, barge YO-160. Eight more ships were badly damaged. The explosion lifted several million tons of water into the air. Test name: Castle Bravo
date: March 1, 1954
A place: bikini atoll
Explosion type: on the surface
Power: 15 megatons.

3. Photo by Wikicommons

The explosion of a hydrogen bomb. Castle Bravo was the most powerful test ever conducted by the United States. The power of the explosion turned out to be much higher than the initial forecasts of 4-6 megatons. The crater from the explosion turned out to be 2 km in diameter and 75 m deep. In 1 minute the mushroom cloud reached a height of 15 km. 8 minutes after the explosion, the mushroom reached its maximum size of 20 km in diameter. Castle Bravo test caused the largest radioactive contamination of territories in the United States and exposure of local residents. Test name: Castle Romeo
date: March 26, 1954
A place: by barge in Bravo crater, Bikini Atoll
Explosion type: on the surface
Power: 11 megatons.

4. Photo by US National Nuclear Security Administration | Department of Energy

The power of the explosion turned out to be 3 times higher than the initial forecasts. Romeo was the first test carried out on a barge. The fact is that such nuclear explosions left large craters in the atoll, and the test program would destroy all the islands. Test name: AZTEC
date: April 27, 1962
A place: Christmas Island
Power: 410 kilotons.

These tests were carried out from 1962 to 1963 in the USA

6. Photo by National Nuclear Security Administration

Test at the Nevada Proving Ground on January 27, 1951 (Able explosion as part of Operation Ranger). Test name: Chama
date: October 18, 1962
A place: Johnston Island
Power: 1.59 megatons

Part of the Dominic project is a series of nuclear weapons tests consisting of 105 explosions. Test name: Truckee
date: June 9, 1962
A place: Christmas Island
Power: more than 210 kilotons

Part of the Dominic project is a series of nuclear weapons tests consisting of 105 explosions. Test name: Dog
date: 1951
A place: Nuclear test site in Nevada

Test name: Fizeau
date: September 14, 1957
Power: more than 11 kilotons

10.

Test name: Annie
date: March 17, 1953
A place: Nuclear test site in Nevada
Power: 16 kilotons

11. Photo Wikicommons

As part of Operation Upshot Nothol, a series of 11 nuclear explosions by the United States in 1953. Test name: "Unicorn" (fr. Licorne)
date: July 3, 1970
A place: atoll in French Polynesia
Power: 914 kilotons

12. Photo by Pierre J. | French army

The largest thermonuclear explosion ever produced by France.

13. Photo by Pierre J. | French army

"Unicorn".

14. Photo by Pierre J. | French army

"Unicorn".

15. Photo by Pierre J. | French army

"Unicorn". Test name: Oak
date: June 28, 1958
A place
Power: 8.9 megatons

16.

Test name: Mike
date: October 31, 1952
A place: Elugelab Island ("Flora"), Eneveith Atoll
Power: 10.4 megatons

17. Photo by National Nuclear Security Administration

The device detonated in Mike's test and called the "sausage" was the first real megaton-class "hydrogen" bomb. The mushroom cloud reached a height of 41 km with a diameter of 96 km. Mike's power was greater than all the bombs dropped in World War II. Test name: Grable
date: May 25, 1953
A place: Nuclear test site in Nevada
Power: 15 kilotons

18.

Fired as part of Operation Upshot-Nothol, a series of 11 nuclear explosions carried out by the United States in 1953. Test name: George
date: 1951
A place: Nuclear test site in Nevada

19.

Test name: Priscilla
date: 1957
A place: Nuclear test site in Nevada
Power: 37 kilotons

20.

As part of a series of tests "Plumbbob" in May - October 1957.

21.

Another photo of a nuclear explosion Castle romeo, which we wrote about above.

22.

Copies of the first atomic bombs "Little Boy" with a charge mass of 16 kilotons and "Fat Man" with a charge mass of 21 kilotons. It was the "Kid" that was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, and the "Fat Man" on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. 17. Test name: Umbrella
date: June 8, 1958
A place: Enewetok Lagoon in the Pacific Ocean
Power: 8 kilotons

23.

An underwater nuclear explosion was carried out during Operation Hardtack. Decommissioned ships were used as targets. Test name: Umbrella
date: June 8, 1958
A place: Enewetok Lagoon in the Pacific Ocean
Power: 8 kilotons

24.

Test name: Seminole
date: June 6, 1956
A place: Enewetok Lagoon in the Pacific Ocean
Power: 13.7 kilotons

25.

Test name: YESO
date: June 10, 1962
A place: Christmas Island
Power: 3 megatons

A short excursion into the world of the atom, the eerie energy of nuclear reaction and destructive force. All of these killer weapons are man made. But, on the other hand, on the Sun every second there are reactions by forces many times greater than the explosions of the most powerful thermonuclear bombs and the Sun gives life to all living things. Read and watch.

The most powerful h-bomb was blown up 40 years ago... On the morning of October 30 at 11 hours 32 minutes. A hydrogen bomb with a capacity of 50 million tons of TNT was detonated over Novaya Zemlya in the area of \u200b\u200bGuba Mityusha at an altitude of 4000 m above the land surface. The Soviet Union tested the most powerful thermonuclear device in history. Even in the "half" version (and the maximum power of such a bomb is 100 megatons), the explosion energy tenfold exceeded the total power of all explosivesused by all belligerents during the Second World War (including atomic bombsdropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki). The shock wave from the explosion circled the globe three times, the first time in 36 hours and 27 minutes.

The light flash was so bright that, despite the overcast, it was visible even from the command post in the village of Belushya Guba (almost 200 km away from the epicenter of the explosion). The mushroom cloud has grown to a height of 67 km. By the time of the explosion, while the bomb was slowly descending from a height of 10,500 to the calculated detonation point on a huge parachute, the Tu-95 carrier aircraft with its crew and its commander, Major Andrei Yegorovich Durnovtsev, was already in the safe zone. The commander was returning to his airfield as lieutenant colonel, Hero Soviet Union... In an abandoned village - 400 km from the epicenter - wooden houses were destroyed, and stone houses lost their roofs, windows and doors. For many hundreds of kilometers from the test site, as a result of the explosion, the conditions for the passage of radio waves changed for almost an hour and radio communication was stopped.

The bomb was developed by V.B. Adamsky, Yu.N. Smirnov, A.D. Sakharov, Yu.N. Babaev and Yu.A. Trutnev (for which Sakharov was awarded the third medal of the Hero of Socialist Labor). The mass of the "device" was 26 tons; a specially modified Tu-95 strategic bomber was used for its transportation and discharge. "Superbomb", as A. Sakharov called it, did not fit in the bomb compartment of the aircraft (its length was 8 meters, and its diameter was about 2 meters), so the non-power part of the fuselage was cut out and a special lifting mechanism and a device for mounting the bomb were mounted; while in flight, it still stuck out more than half. The entire body of the aircraft, even the blades of its propellers, was covered with a special white paint that protects against a flash of light in an explosion. The same paint was applied to the hull of the accompanying laboratory aircraft.

Some experts believe that it was this explosion that led to an understanding in political and military circles of the futility of a further nuclear race. One way or another, but on August 5, 1963, a treaty banning nuclear weapons tests in three environments was signed in Moscow: in the atmosphere, in outer space and under water. More than 110 countries are currently participating in it.

Below are photographs of atomic and hydrogen bomb explosions
Figures 31-34 show a high-speed survey of one explosion, which shows the nucleation of an atomic mushroom. To enlarge the photo - click on it.

Click on the picture to enlarge it.

In recent days, everyone is only discussing whether the third world war between the United States and Russia will begin or not. In the media and social networks, you constantly come across materials about the upcoming "nuclear apocalypse", which in turn provokes attacks of fear and hysteria in many. Over the years, we have already forgotten the warning signals, and the younger generation knows about the threat only from computer games. Life tells what to do if a nuclear mushroom appears on the horizon.

First day

The threat of a nuclear war was a tempting prospect for me. "Battles with marauders", "survival in radioactive forests", "clashes with mutants" - it sounded even cooler than "zombie apocalypse". I went online, found out that if something happened, Washington would start bombing cities at six o'clock in the evening, and read what products to take. I went to the dacha and took my grandfather's cartridges - in the event of the apocalypse, they will become the most valuable resource. I also bought a gun through an anonymous browser. In addition, I bought a used car in order to leave for the forest after the explosion.

Valuable tips:

The need to take weapons and ammunition with you is one of the most common myths about the nuclear apocalypse. Marauders and even more so mutants are nothing more than a figment of the imagination of writers. If you take weapons and cartridges with you, then you will have to part with them at the first checkpoint.
Instead of stuffing your backpack with pasta, take as much medicine as you can. You will need antibiotics, insulin, and a variety of wound care products. Please note: you will not get really effective anti-radiation agents in advance. Drinking iodine, as most manuals advise, is also not worth it, except for complacency.

Second day

Valuable tips:

You hardly need transportation. And in the forest you will definitely not hide from the explosion (and subsequent radioactive fallout). If after the explosion you find yourself far from the affected area, then the machine, of course, will help. However, a pre-made car in your garage is not the most useful thing. In the first hours after the explosion, it is better to sit at home. If the glass is intact, then just post a signal for help and wait. You need to wait about three days - during this time, the radioactive background will significantly decrease.
The walls of the house are good at attenuating radiation pollution. Prepare as close-fitting clothing as possible and try to assess the situation. Don't panic. Turn on the TV and try to understand what happened - an explosion at a nuclear power plant, a terrorist attack, or the third world war began. After that, wait for rescuers or the military. Only they really know what to do. It is better not to believe the memos that have been roaming the Web for decades, and the manuals from the stalker's forums. Only the military has valid guidelines, and they are not suitable for civilians.
It is better not to stare at the "mushroom" - you can burn the retina of the eye.
Don't rely on mobile communications - if the third world war breaks out, then most likely there will be no access to it.

Valuable tips:

Not all metro stations are suitable. You need deep stations that have sliding doors and good ventilation. Among the deep stations are the Admiralteyskaya in St. Petersburg and the Park Pobedy station in Moscow. The subway may indeed be more useful than a bomb shelter, as it is regularly inspected. But sitting in the subway for a long time is also not recommended. When the background disappears, try to leave the affected area. At the same time, it is better to move underground - reduce your stay on the surface to a minimum.
Once again: no need to go or run anywhere. Try to figure out which explosion zone you are in.

Valuable tips:

Don't expect your life in a bomb shelter to be filled with dramatic events. Kitchen, toilet, bedroom - this is your route for the next couple of weeks.
The main entertainment is, of course, information from outside. The bomb shelters are equipped (if you're lucky) with contact points.
Despite the nervous situation, it is better not to run around the bomb shelter in order not to increase the production of carbon dioxide.

Day ten

We have first come to the surface. Now the adventures should surely begin: searching for food, hunting, fighting with marauders.

If you still have to look for food, then do it as far as possible from the affected area. We are talking about 100 kilometers from the epicenter of a nuclear explosion. Forget about hunting cats and dogs - the simpler the food, the less nuclides it contains. Therefore, it is better to do with plant foods. But in general, of course, it is wiser not to get food, but to eat exclusively canned food.
Better to stay with the military as long as possible. The military will assemble buses for the emergency evacuation of people. After being transferred to the campground, you will need to change your clothes and undergo decontamination. If the dose of radiation received is too high, you will be sent to the hospital. Also, you need to get anti-radiation products.
In the event of the beginning of the third world war, they will come for you from the recruiting office. The rest will be waiting for a transfer to the rear.
In the event of a single explosion, you will be transferred to children's camps and rest homes for temporary accommodation.

Nuclear mushroom - a mushroom cloud that appears after a nuclear or thermonuclear explosion, also called a radioactive cloud. It is named so because of the similarity of shape with the shape of the fruiting body of mushrooms. A mushroom cloud is formed in all land-based nuclear explosions, but this is not a distinguishing feature of a nuclear explosion. A mushroom cloud is formed during ordinary explosions of sufficient power, during volcanic eruptions, severe fires and meteorite falls.

Physics of the phenomenon

Mushroom cloud.svg

Mushroom air flow diagram

The height of the nuclear mushroom depending on the power of the explosion

A special danger after a nuclear or thermonuclear explosion, especially a ground explosion, is a radioactive cloud. Dust particles containing radioactive substances become condensation nuclei. As a result, water vapor settles on them, and, as the cloud rises and cools, drops of water are quickly formed, falling to the ground in the form of radioactive rain, hail, snow, etc. Precipitation of a cloud of a nuclear fungus is a source of radioactive contamination and is a threat to living creatures.

A nuclear cloud does not form in all types of nuclear explosions. During space, high-altitude, underwater and deep underground (camouflage) nuclear explosions, a mushroom cloud is not formed.

Image in culture

In modern culture, the mushroom cloud is the most commonly used symbol of nuclear war.

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An excerpt from the Nuclear Mushroom

- But how, to her, what is it to bring him? You have not tidied up there, ”said Marya Dmitrievna.
“No, she got dressed and went into the living room,” said Sonya.
Marya Dmitrievna only shrugged her shoulders.
- When this Countess arrives, she has exhausted me completely. Look, don't tell her everything, ”she turned to Pierre. - And to scold her spirit is not enough, so pitiful, so pitiful!
Natasha, emaciated, with a pale and stern face (not at all ashamed, as Pierre expected her) stood in the middle of the drawing room. When Pierre appeared at the door, she hurried, obviously indecisive, whether to approach him or wait for him.
Pierre hastily approached her. He thought she would give him her hand, as always; but, coming close to him, she stopped, breathing heavily and lifelessly dropping her arms, in exactly the same position in which she went out into the middle of the hall to sing, but with a completely different expression.
- Pyotr Kirilich, - she began to speak quickly - Prince Bolkonsky was your friend, he is your friend, - she corrected herself (it seemed to her that everything had just happened, and that now everything is different). - He told me then to address you ...
Pierre silently sniffled as he looked at her. Until now, in his soul he reproached and tried to despise her; but now he felt so sorry for her that there was no room for reproach in his soul.
“He’s here now, tell him… to be simple… to forgive me. She stopped and began to breathe even more often, but did not cry.
“Yes… I'll tell him,” Pierre said, but… “He didn't know what to say.
Natasha was evidently frightened by the thought that might come to Pierre.
“No, I know it's over,” she said hastily. - No, it can never be. I am tormented only by the evil I did to him. Just tell him that I ask him to forgive, forgive, forgive me for everything ... - She shook all over and sat down on a chair.
A feeling of pity, never experienced before, filled Pierre's soul.
“I’ll tell him, I’ll tell him again,” said Pierre; - but ... I would like to know one thing ...
"What to know?" asked Natasha's look.
- I would like to know if you loved ... - Pierre did not know what to call Anatole and blushed at the thought of him, - did you love this bad person?
“Don't call him bad,” Natasha said. “But I don’t know anything…” She began to cry again.
And further more feeling pity, tenderness and love seized Pierre. He heard tears flowing under his glasses and hoped that they would not be noticed.
“We’ll say no more, my friend,” said Pierre.
So strangely suddenly for Natasha his meek, gentle, soulful voice seemed.