University of Nicosia researchers Dimitris Drikakis and Ioannis Kokinakis have released a comprehensive paper on understanding nuclear explosions. Given the underlying danger of such a study, the duo have leveraged some powerful computational simulations to test nuclear blasts, denoting wave lengths, area of effect, and survivability.
Their findings, published in the Physics of Fluids journal on Jan. 17, underscore not only the terrifying nature of nuclear explosions but also highlight the importance of its continued research. As a fluid dynamics scientist, Drikakis sought to find just how powerful such mass explosions truly are and likewise see just how possible survival could be given some much-needed levels of protection.
A "moderate damage zone" within the aftermath of a nuclear blast could prove to hold some survivors if a very specific structural defense force protected said lucky few. For Drikakis, it was not just about highlighting the dangers of nuclear weapons but also seeing just how far such a blast can go in the modern era when put up against several layers of buildings and concrete.
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Through the utilization of simulated air blasts, the duo was able to recreate the effects of a 750-kiloton missile, pouring over every intricacy, from the surmounting shockwave's destructive circumference to the still-standing buildings lucky enough to be pardoned. The tests proved that for a structure situated within the moderate damage zone, its concrete innards were sturdy enough to take three to five pounds per square inch of the blast's pressure.
Drikakis and Kokianakis' work thus surmises that survivors could theoretically be a potentiality in the aftermath of a nuclear explosion. These survivors would most likely be situated within heavily fortified buildings, which a bank vault or underground passage could best exemplify. The duo notes that enclosed spaces with as few open areas as possible are the safest, largely because a nuclear blast's following winds are far more worrisome than the commencing discharge.
Still, though, it's important to remember that most of those caught in a nuclear blast will most probably perish. Even if one were to survive such an attack, the impending waves of immense heat and ionizing radiation would surely be enough to finish the job. But, both researchers' work comes on the heels of a still-ongoing occupation of Ukraine headed by Russia, which in and of itself has led to ever-increasing concerns globally on the nature of defending oneself against such a future.
This very war is what has led to the forwarding of the Doomsday Clock by a total of 90 seconds as concerns of an inevitable fallout weigh heavily on everyone's minds. According to the clock's founders, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, while much of what goes into the metaphorical timepiece can be ascribed to both natural and human-led causes, the nuclear tensions plaguing the east and Russia's seeming have allowed the clock far less leeway heading into 2023 unpredictably.
At least in the event of such a nuclear battleground, the research put forth by both Drikakis and Kokianakis could be eventual lifesavers, especially in the context of future urban developments. Leveraging the study, city builders can better design and implement ways of preventing major damage and destruction in their structures. However, only a glimmer of hope, such preventative measures, and forward-thinking will ensure our survival even in the face of such a terrifying threat.
