Project Vela
..::Phenomenology::..
[Spoken]
"The phenomenology of a nuclear explosion is well-known. Generally, more than 50% of the energy of an explosion is delivered in the form of [?] X-rays. Smaller amounts are delivered in the form of other radiations, usually about 1% in the form of neutrons, and about .3% in the form of gamma rays. Most of the rest of the energy is carried away by the kinetic energy of the blown debris. When a nuclear evеnt occurs near the Earth's atmospherе, almost all of the energies of X-rays, gamma rays, and neutrons get absorbed by the atmosphere and re-emitted as light, heat, and the kinetic energy of a shockwave. There is no atmosphere associated with the detonation of the space [?], and the X-rays, gamma rays, and neutrons radiate in [?] reversed square geometry. Scientists [?] a scientific laboratory estimate the X-rays from a ten kiloton explosion can be detected from as far away as 200 million miles. This distance is equal to the diameter of Earth's orbit around the Sun. Gamma and neutron detectors can be used to apply additional information [?] outer space [?] X-rays [?] solar winds [?] atomic particles, gamma rays [?] There may be other radiations that account [?] a system of X-ray, gamma ray, and neutron detectors which can be used to measure a nuclear event. The signal is known, and the purpose of the present Vela program is to-"