Suitcase Bombs
In 1997, the public became aware of a Russian nuclear device they
had not known even existed--the "suitcase bomb". One of
these portable nuclear bombs had an explosive charge of one kiloton,
equivalent to one thousand tons of TNT. If a device like this made
its way to the U.S. it could destroy everything within a half-mile
radius of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Within hours, prevailing
winds would carry the nuclear fallout throughout Washington. Radioactive
Iodine (I-131) would be carried downwind for miles. One particular pocket-size radiation detector has the technology to detect both the beta and gamma radiation of I-131.
Another portable weapon is a "backpack" bomb. The Soviet
nuclear backpack system was made in the 1960s for use against NATO
targets in time of war and consists of three "coffee can-sized" aluminum
canisters in a bag. All three must be connected to make a single
unit in order to explode. The detonator is about 6 inches long. It
has a 3-to-5 kiloton yield, depending on the efficiency of the explosion.
It's kept powered during storage by a battery line connected to the
canisters.
Dirty Bombs
A "dirty bomb" is a conventional explosive,
such as dynamite, salted with radioactive waste that scatters when
the bomb goes off.
It is not a nuclear bomb. The bomb can kill or injure through the
initial blast of the conventional explosive and possibly through
the dispersal of the radioactive materials-- hence the term "dirty." Such
bombs could be small devices or as big as a truck bomb. There are
four categories of radioactive waste ranging from very low-level
waste that can be safely disposed of with ordinary refuse, to high-level
waste such as spent nuclear fuel. Substantial amounts of radioactive
waste are generated through civilian and military applications of
radionuclides in medical facilities, food irradiation plants, chemical
and manufacturing plants, etc. Some types of radioactive waste would
be easier to obtain than others in order to make a "dirty bomb".
Radiation detectors are needed to alert officials of their presence. One particular pocket-size radiation detector has the technology to detect Gamma, X-ray and Beta radiation. This includes the ability to detect radioactive iodine, of which Potassium Iodide protects against and would most likely not be present in a dirty bomb due to the fact that it is a byproduct of nuclear fission which takes place only within nuclear reactors and during the detonation of a nuclear bomb. Obviously this type
of 'radioactive waste' would be very difficult to obtain and incorporate
in the makings of a dirty bomb. If a dirty bomb detonates in your
area, follow the instructions of local health officials concerning
evacuation, decontamination and the administering of potassium iodide
(though unlikely).
