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Why was there a gamma ray detector?

by leoh 2y ago

nrr 2y ago
Gamma rays are an early danger from the fallout from a nuclear blast.
- kev009 2y ago
  Gamma rays also travel faster than the other destructive waveform. Much of the expansive destruction from a nuclear bomb is due to "over pressure", and these facilities have spring loaded blast valves that quickly snap shut when signaled via the gamma detector or a manual control to limit it from entering the protected zone. Bunkers have different grading in terms of blast resistance and most of the AT&T bunkers were engineered for something like 5, 10, 15, or 20 mile air burst strikes of certain warhead yield. The AT&T bunkers are mostly far removed from population centers such that a direct nuclear strike would be a waste of a perfectly good nuke. In reality, a directly targeted conventional warhead or sabotage would be plenty effective in causing major service disruption so I think a lot of the realities for survivability would be aftermath repair capabilities.
Lammy 2y ago
This other page goes into a little more detail on the detection system: https://coldwar-ct.com/Blast_Detectors.html https://coldwar-ct.com/Blast_Detectors.html “Most sites included Gamma detectors that were designed to detect the radiation wave as well. They were redundant systems, any detection, overpressure or Gamma would button-up the site at which point signals were sent to all Continental U.S. sites that a blast was detected, where it was, the size of the blast and wind speed and direction. Sites within 250 miles of any detection would go to Auto-Lock down.”
- jeffbee 2y ago
  I wonder how sensitive they were/are. Can you goof on them with a portable medical gamma ray source?
  - phone8675309 2y ago
    That sounds like a fantastic way to have a SWAT team kick down your door
    - jeffbee 2y ago
      I guess. I am just trying to think of the funniest thing a KGB operative could do in his free time.
VoidWhisperer 2y ago
Likely having something to do with this being a bunker meant to effectively endure a nuclear attack

Why was there a gamma ray detector?

by leoh 2y ago

Why was there a gamma ray detector?

nrr 2y ago

Gamma rays are an early danger from the fallout from a nuclear blast.

kev009 2y ago
Gamma rays also travel faster than the other destructive waveform. Much of the expansive destruction from a nuclear bomb is due to "over pressure", and these facilities have spring loaded blast valves that quickly snap shut when signaled via the gamma detector or a manual control to limit it from entering the protected zone. Bunkers have different grading in terms of blast resistance and most of the AT&T bunkers were engineered for something like 5, 10, 15, or 20 mile air burst strikes of certain warhead yield. The AT&T bunkers are mostly far removed from population centers such that a direct nuclear strike would be a waste of a perfectly good nuke. In reality, a directly targeted conventional warhead or sabotage would be plenty effective in causing major service disruption so I think a lot of the realities for survivability would be aftermath repair capabilities.

Lammy 2y ago

This other page goes into a little more detail on the detection system: https://coldwar-ct.com/Blast_Detectors.html https://coldwar-ct.com/Blast_Detectors.html “Most sites included Gamma detectors that were designed to detect the radiation wave as well. They were redundant systems, any detection, overpressure or Gamma would button-up the site at which point signals were sent to all Continental U.S. sites that a blast was detected, where it was, the size of the blast and wind speed and direction. Sites within 250 miles of any detection would go to Auto-Lock down.”

jeffbee 2y ago
I wonder how sensitive they were/are. Can you goof on them with a portable medical gamma ray source?
- phone8675309 2y ago
  That sounds like a fantastic way to have a SWAT team kick down your door
  - jeffbee 2y ago
    I guess. I am just trying to think of the funniest thing a KGB operative could do in his free time.

VoidWhisperer 2y ago

Likely having something to do with this being a bunker meant to effectively endure a nuclear attack