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Dirty Bombs: Fact and Fiction

Dirty Bombs: Fact and Fiction. Eric E. Kearsley, Ph.D. High Point High School Beltsville, Maryland. What kinds of bombs are we talking about?. Radiological Dispersion Devices—RDD’s Radioactive materials spread around by conventional explosives or other means “Poor man’s nuclear weapon”—NOT!.

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Dirty Bombs: Fact and Fiction

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  1. Dirty Bombs: Fact and Fiction Eric E. Kearsley, Ph.D. High Point High School Beltsville, Maryland

  2. What kinds of bombs are we talking about? • Radiological Dispersion Devices—RDD’s • Radioactive materials spread around by conventional explosives or other means • “Poor man’s nuclear weapon”—NOT!

  3. Background • Considered by Allies during WW II • Recent threats

  4. RDD Design • Type of radioactive material • Dispersal strategy

  5. RDD Design Type of radiation • Penetrating radiation—external hazard; difficult to shield/conceal • Non-penetrating—internal hazard; easier to shield/conceal; more difficult to detect

  6. RDD Design Some sources of material • Radiotherapy sources • Industrial radiography sources • Thermal generators

  7. Potential Sources

  8. Dose rate from a disk of radius R

  9. Dose Rate vs Radius for 1000 Curies of Cesium-137

  10. Dose Rate vs Radius for 1000 Curies of Cesium-137

  11. Dose Rates for the 1000 Curie Example

  12. What are the effects? • Medical/Health • Psychosocial • Economic

  13. Medical/Health Effects • No clinical effects below 350 mSv • For 1000 Ci spread out over an area with a radius of 100 meters, an individual would have to remain for 100 hours (i.e. continuously for 4 days) to receive this dose.

  14. Medical/Health Effects • Other than the injury from the explosion, the principle health risk at expected dose levels is the possible increased risk of cancer. • At 100 mSv the increased lifetime risk of fatal cancer is believed to increase from about 20% to 20.5%.

  15. Psychosocial Effects Fear/Panic • Transportation paralysis • Demand for medical evaluation

  16. Psychosocial Effects • Emotional, physical, and cognitive effects • Social withdrawal • Stigma • Potential for immediate and long-term care

  17. Economic Effects • Clean up costs • Impact on commerce

  18. Public Policy Issues Clean-up criteria • Agriculture • Urban areas • National monuments

  19. Public Policy Issues Detection—how do first responders tell a “dirty” bomb from a “clean” bomb?

  20. Public Policy Issues How do we control radioactive material? Old paradigm: safety New paradigm: security & safety

  21. Public Policy Issues Education of • Leaders • Emergency responders • Press • Public

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