On Nuclear Height-of-Burst Airblast at High Overpressure

Results of a brief review and evaluation of height-of-burst HOB airblast environments produced by nuclear weapons, with emphasis placed on the high overpressure side of the thermal precursor shock envelope, are presented. It is concluded that no significant precursors will be formed at and above the 1000 psi overpressure level for any value of weapon yield or height-of-burst, and that blast environment prescriptions for ideal surfaces may be used with acceptable confidence for bursts over thermally non-ideal surfaces in this overpressure range. It is concluded further that no degradation in the values of airblast kill mechanisms with respect to ground burst values should occur over a substantial portion of the shins of the HOB curves at and above 1000 psi.