Near-field investigation of the explosive dispersal of radioactive material based on a reconstructed spherical blast-wave flow

This study examines the extent to which the explosive blast determines the transport of contaminant particles relative to the atmospheric wind over distances relevant to “near-field” dispersion problems (i.e., hundreds of meters), which are relevant to urban environments. Our results indicate that whether or not the effect of the blast should be included in a near-field dispersion model is largely dependent on the size of the contaminant particle. Relatively large particles (i.e., >40 μm in diameter), which are most likely to be produced by a RDD, penetrate the leading shock front, thereby avoiding the reverse blast wind. Consequently, they travel much farther than suspended aerosols (<10 μm) before approaching the ambient wind velocity. This suggests that, for these “near-field” dispersion problems in urban environments, the transport of contaminants from the blast wave may be integral to accurately predicting their dispersion.