Paul Pomes wrote:
Even a fizzle with a yield in the hundreds of tons equivalent is respectable. Plutonium decay products have a high neutron cross-section and steal the fast neutrons necessary for the chain reaction to build. Sufficient amounts can kill off the last three or more re-doublings which is where most of the explosive power comes from. On the other hand finely dispersed Pu and other fission products plus the irradiated material that becomes radioactive will make a few square miles dangerous to inhabit for several years.
Bill Frantz wrote:
Plutonium has a half life on the order of 250,000 years, so very little decay products would build up in 6 years. The tritium used in thermonuclear weapons has a much shorter half life, and would need to be replaced about that often.
But the _important_ question is: "Where do connect the 'yellow' wire?"