Re: Dwarfing Chernobyl - Nuclear Winter Point of Reference

[SSEKIRK@aol.com]

Stewart Farber wrote:
 
 The open air testing of fission and fusion nuclear bombs by the US and the
 Soviets from 1945 until 1963 had, if memory serves me right, an approximate
 fission yield of about 194 megatons [according to published results by the
 National Academy of Sciences] and a fusion yield  at least 10 to 20 times
 greater.  This not insigificant open air testing "experiment" by the US and
our "former" enemies over  a period of 18 years did not have any significant,
or
 demonstrable,  effect on climate to the best of my knowledge, although the
 weapons were admittedly not used to set cities on fire over a wide area.
 Nevertheless, it seems likely that as horrible as what I've seen termed a
 spasm, or tactical use, nuclear war [with a total fission yield of much less
 than a few hundred megatons  between nations such as India or Pakistan or
 China and other nations might be, the chance [as noted by Fritz Seiler] of
 global nuclear winter being realized appears remote or "overblown" given
 results of open air testing to date.
 
Stewart,

As you stated, the open air testing took place sporadically over many years.
As I stated before, we do not have data to assess the impact of a short-term
moderate exchange of nuclear weapons.  The thought that such an occurence
could actually take place is horrifying and its effect on the whole earth
unquantifiable with any degree of confidence.

S. Kirk