On 16/02/2021 21:27, Vir Campestris wrote:
On 16/02/2021 12:25, Andrew wrote:
Nobody was killed as a direct result of atmospheric testing of
nuclear weapons in the 50's and 60's but there is an identifyable
spike in the incidence in certain diseases, like childhood
leukaemia following those tests.

Do you have any data on the amount of radiation released by the tests,
compared with Fukushima (or indeed Chernobyl)

I can't find any. My guess is that it's far higher.

There's also a suspicion that there are other causes for childhood
leukaemia. Dioxins, for example...

Andy

There's quite a lot of data out there if you look for it, e.g.

https://www.ctbto.org/nuclear-testin...clear-testing/

I have seen comparisons with Chernobyl but can't for the moment remember
the numbers. I think you are right, though.

In my research days in the 1970's our library had a lot of books
containing what I believe to be reasonably authoritative data, including
the contours of fallout dose rates from ground and air burst weapons of
various sizes, under different weather conditions.

I don't recall the exact fallout figures for weapons testing, but my
recollection is that they were heading towards having a readily
detectable effect on cancer rates. It has always been my suspicion that
scientists on both sides of the iron curtain were lobbying their leaders
and maybe even threatening to blow whistles. The 1963 atmospheric test
ban treaty was signed off remarkably quickly after years of abortive
discussions.

https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/abo...est-ban-treaty