Dirty bomb

Dirty bomb is a type of radiological dispersal device (RDD) that combines a conventional explosive, such as dynamite, with radioactive material. The main purpose of the device is to scatter dangerous and sub-lethal amounts of radioactive material over a general area.

Overview

A dirty bomb is not a "nuclear weapon" or "nuclear bomb". A nuclear bomb creates an explosion that is millions of times more powerful than that of a dirty bomb. The cloud of radiation from a nuclear bomb could spread tens to hundreds of square miles, whereas a dirty bomb’s radiation could be dispersed within a few blocks or miles of the explosion. A dirty bomb is not a "Weapon of Mass Destruction" but a "Weapon of Mass Disruption", where contamination and anxiety are the major objectives.

Construction and Function

In terms of construction, a dirty bomb is a weapon with a relatively simple design. It is essentially a radioactive material wrapped around a conventional explosive. When the explosive is detonated, it scatters the radioactive material, creating a zone of contamination. This can cause both immediate and long-term health problems for anyone exposed to the radiation.

Health Effects

The radioactive materials used in a dirty bomb would probably not create enough radiation exposure to cause immediate serious illness, except to those people who are very close to the blast site. However, the radioactive dust and smoke spread by the bomb could contaminate people and cause fear, while making buildings or land unusable for a long period of time.

Prevention and Response

Preventing the use of dirty bombs involves securing radioactive materials to prevent their theft or misuse, as well as having effective emergency response plans in place. In the event of a dirty bomb detonation, the area would need to be evacuated and decontaminated, and those exposed would need to be treated for radiation exposure.

See Also

• Radiological weapon
• Nuclear terrorism
• Radiation poisoning
• Nuclear fallout

References

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