High-altitude burst
air burst
high-altitude burst
airburst
High-altitude burst
air burst
An underground nuclear detonation creates a crater in the Earth's surface. The explosion occurs beneath the ground, causing the soil and rock to be displaced upwards, resulting in a visible crater above the detonation point.
high altitude burst
The four Department of Defense (DOD) nuclear weapon safety standards focus on preventing nuclear detonation, unauthorized launch, and accidental nuclear detonation. These standards require that nuclear weapons must always be safe from accidents, must be secure from unauthorized access, must ensure that no nuclear detonation occurs without proper authorization, and must maintain reliable performance under all conditions. These principles are fundamental to ensuring the safe handling, storage, and deployment of nuclear weapons.
high-altitude burst
High-altitude burst
A high-altitude nuclear burst or high-altitude detonation occurs above 100,000 feet. This type of burst produces an intense burst of electromagnetic energy known as an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) that can disrupt electrical and communication systems over a wide area without causing significant physical damage on the ground. The fireball is not present in a high-altitude burst because the detonation occurs above the Earth's atmosphere.
A low altitude detonation or a groundburst will cause a crater to form. Nuclear detonations that take place near the ground (but not underground) will create a mushroom cloud (this is caused by a Raleigh-Taylor instability). I have noted that a lower level detonation close to the ground will suck up material into the fireball and create a more pronounced stem.