Nuclear blasts differ, particularly in the "bomb" type as in, the types in large strategic missiles and the suitcase bombs, and the types used in plants, because the radioactive materials differ between them and to some degree from plant to plant and bomb to bomb. For example, that recent Japanese oops had as much concern from strontium, tritium and cesium leaking into water as it did from airborne particles. The cesium is largely held in most soils, while tritium and strontium-90 isn't retained as well and continues to pass through. Rains can affect which particles stay airborne, in surface soils, and in aquifers and reservoirs with some more likely than others to be trapped by closed/contained aquifers or those with certain types of stone or clay in the bedrock and others more easily passing through.

Decay life of radioactive material varies greatly as well. Plutonium from reactors can remain dangerous for hundreds and thousands of years. Iodine 129 will last much longer than iodine 131. The effects differ. Iodine greatly affects forming cells, which is how mutations occur immediately following blasts and in the future; chromosomes are basically removed or die off from exposure. Iodine doesn't affect gametes directly, while others do. Potassium Iodine can help prevent the defects in iodine-containing radioactive material, but is useless to protect from other types. Nuclear reactors are largely focused on the plutonium and uranium, but also contain californium, neptunium, and americanium.

Another marked difference in the two is the type of explosion. A quarter to half a strategic bomb's energy goes into the blast itself, vaporizing the immediate area. A power plant is not going to have that affect. The blast's vaporization is part of what disperses the radioactive material, which was vaporized at the same time and adheres to the other particles, which fall back in dust or ride winds and further disperse. Nuclear bomb blasts also emit a great deal of thermal energy. That's what melted people to the walls in Japan in WWII and caused the horrific burns. The effects of the thermal energy lessen as distance from the blast increases. A nuclear plant won't have that amount of effect, either. Thermal explosions would be far, far more limited both in range and effect compared to a nuclear missile - much more like a suitcase bomb. In the multi-megaton device range, the thermal effects (UV, IR, visible) can cause fires that exceed the blast radius (which would knock out the fires, like detonating a fast-blast material or a fire extinguisher to put out an oil or natural gas fire that's past the sugar or flour point or the way you huff on a candle or match to extinguish it by starving it of air instead of blow slow and gentle to feed the flame oxygen).

The problem is the that after a nuclear bomb, the fallout is actually a little more limited because there were largely limited amounts of radioactive material to be dispersed.

The nuclear reactors in plants aren't the main problem. The problem is in the coolant tanks where the U.S. stores rods and in the European and Japanese plants where the rods are stored for a shorter duration but where they reprocess radioactive material, reclaiming some of it for another go-round and creating a much more condensed slurry of "we'll glow in the dark with antlers" materials. They could potentially be leaking for days and weeks unchecked and could continue to spread much farther if they weren't contained, leading to far more widespread disasters after some kind of explosion or disruption in a plant.

I know that part of training includes covering the mouth and nose, covering bare skin, standing up after dust settles, shaking as much dust off as possible, and ditching the clothing as soon as possible and getting serious showers. The cancer is a long-term thing, although some types progress rapidly (a couple of years) instead of longer term (a decade or five) and is the main problem.

Iodine-containing radioactive material goes after the thyroid and that's bad business, but in theory if you survive the initial blast and the heaviest dose of radiation, you could be okay for quite some time even if you soak up some. Chernobyl is being reclaimed by trees even though the ones that were just leafing out died and is now home to some pretty impressive wildlife that found itself a nice ecological park people won't touch. They get to live fairly normal lives, with less than expected mutations and with those mutations largely dying out faster than expected.

Thanks for the excelelnt post, MrsP - I learned something today.

It will be very difficult, providing you have a Hazmat suit and can seal of your location (as we can) you'll be able to survive for a while, but eventuallly you'll get sick and die in much pain, so I prefer to go quickly??

It will be very difficult, providing you have a Hazmat suit and can seal of your location (as we can) you'll be able to survive for a while, but eventuallly you'll get sick and die in much pain, so I prefer to go quickly??

HazMat suits will do you no good against Gamma radiation. They are designed to protect you against chemical, biological and low energy radio sources.

The average Joe without any training in CRBNW will die a horrible, painful death, but if you're outside of the second radius, you stand a very good chance of survival and only a moderately increased chance of long term health issues should you make sure you are buttoned up and below ground before the fallout begins to land and for a minimum of 72 hours thereafter. Once the birds begin to fall from the sky you literally have seconds to get to safety. There is an algorythm used to determine how much time you have based upon the yield, altitude and terrain, but by the time you've figured out the first two, the material is already landing around you, best rule of thumb is to get to ground within 20 minutes of detonation and stay there until sun sets on the fourth day after detonation. Don't rely on the use of electronic technology at this point in time due to EMP having adverse and unpredictable effects on electronics.

Of note, the closer to the ground the nuclear detonation is, the more fallout there will be, you'll see a more destructive secondary and tertiary effect than with an air burst.

-S.

If I had to be concerned about surviving a nuclear blast it would have hit the nearest major city to knock out port facilities that could support the USA I should think our family do not have a good chance of getting out of the path of radiation effects unless I can access the underground parking in my nearest urban area under a 3 story concrete building. Even if I had prepacked my bug vehicle chances are in the ensuing chaos I might not reach that destination so I should probably prepack 3 weeks supplies in place beforehand so someone in our family might benefit . If we were hit here you can bet a full out nuclear arsenal assault has been launch all over north america and elsewhere so I don't think anyone is going to be doing so well, a lot of problems ensue very very fast as nuclear plants hit glitches or are targets . I think maybe Tasmania or New Zealand might have a chance.

I bought a USB Inspector gieger counter from lessemf.com. It has different calibrations for different isotopes so you have to learn how to change the calibration as the default is cesium 137. I shopped quit a bit that was the best overall deal I found. Look up user antiprotons on youtube for getting up to speed on this stuff. I got it so I know if something happens when I have to get out.