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This book assesses the current available information concerning the major scientific problems related to environmental consequences of a possible nuclear war, discussing the role of the scientist in developing such information as a contribution to the elimination of the nuclear war threat.
List of contents
About the Series -- The Environmental Effects of Nuclear War-An Overview -- The Short-Term Consequences of Nuclear War for Civilians -- Transport and Residence Times of Airborne Radioactivity -- Nuclear Explosions and Atmospheric Ozone -- Radiation Effects on Humans -- The Long-Term Ecological Effects of Nuclear War: Twilight for the Species? -- Current Unresolved Problems in the Evaluation of Environmental Effects of Nuclear War -- What Can the Scientist Do? -- Resolution Passed by the AAAS Council (7 January 1982) -- The Russell-Einstein Manifesto 1955 -- International Council of Scientific Unions -- Resolution of the National Academy of Sciences (27 April 1982) -- Statement of the American Physical Society Issued by the APS Council of the American Physical Society, 23 January 1983 -- Resolution Passed by the AAAS Council (30 May 1983) -- A Statement of the Council of the American Meteorological Society -- Declaration on Prevention of Nuclear War
About the author
Julius London, Gilbert F. White
Summary
This book assesses the current available information concerning the major scientific problems related to environmental consequences of a possible nuclear war. The contributors address a broad range of topics, among them the effects of blast, heat, and local radioactive fallout; the likely dispersal patterns and residence times of radioactive debris in the troposphere and stratosphere; the probable long-term effects on both the local and global biosphere and radiological consequences for humans; the effect on the global environment of widespread fires in urban and industrialized regions; and the likely significant decrease of stratospheric ozone with a resulting long-term increase in harmful UV radiation received at the ground. The authors point to problem areas where current information is inadequate or completely lacking and discuss the role of the scientist in developing such information as a contribution to the elimination of the nuclear war threat.
