This assignment deals with qualitative and quantitative effects of nuclear explosions, based on documented eyewitness accounts of the Hiroshima attack. The main purpose is for you to get a sense of the destructive power and damage scale of these devices as compared to convention weapons. But moreover, it serves to drive home the fact that people actually can survive a nuclear attack (even if they're extremely close to the blast).

Provide a detailed written answer to all questions! Do not answer with just a "yes" or "no", but justify your reasoning for saying so. Answers that are too short will be dealt with accordingly!

Your tasks are as follows:

1. On this website you will find The Voice of Hibakusha, which contains a set of 14 eyewitness accounts of the Hiroshima bomb explosion. These individuals were located at various distances from the hypocenter, one as close as 300 m (1000 ft) and another as far as 5 km (3 miles). Naturally, each account is different, depending on how far away they were.

   Read all 14 accounts, and assemble a list of the reported effects (both to structures and people), and how they vary with distance from ground zero (the hypocenter). Look for commonalities between the accounts, and highlight any which you feel are important. Specifically, discuss the testimony of the individuals who were closest and furthest from the blast.

   You may present your results in a table of the form (in order of INCREASING distance from ground zero!):

   Distance	Effects
   300 m	itemize effects
   700 m	itemize effects
   . . . . . . .

   [FYI: 1 m = 3.33 feet; 1 km = 0.62 miles]

   Based on your results, discuss what you think the effects of a similar sized nuclear blast (about 15 kt) would be on LMU/Westchester, assuming the hypocenter is located at the Seaver Science Center (I've made some powerful enemies...). Print out this map of LMU, and indicate equivalent distances to those listed in your table (draw circles centered on campus). The map scale is indicated, so the entire width corresponds to about 7 km (i.e. the maximum circle you can draw will have a radius of 3.5 km).

   Now consider the following questions:

   (a) Would the University (people and buildings) survive the attack?

   (b) About how far would you have to be from the hypocenter to survive the initial blast, based on the testimony?

   (c) Do you think the bomb would have identical effects as those described by the testimonies you've read? Think carefully!

   (d) Little Boy exploded at an altitude of about 1800 ft (550 m). How do you think the size of the affected areas would change if it had detonated at a lower altitude? That is, discuss how you think burst height affects the damage area.

   Note: After you finish you might want to go for a drive (or bike ride, or leisurely run) and see exactly how big the circle radii are, to get a real sense of magnitude of the effects.