Can nuclear weapons explosion produce neutrino pluse ?

In summary, the conversation discusses the potential for nuclear weapons explosions to produce "neutrino pluse" and the comparison to "core-collapse supernova" explosions. It is established that neutrinos are produced during supernovas but are negligible in nuclear explosions due to the short duration and high temperature. The energy produced in supernovas is also much greater than that of nuclear explosions.
  • #1
magnetar
83
0
Can nuclear weapons explosion produce "neutrino pluse"?

Can nuclear weapons explosion produce "neutrino pluse"?
 
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  • #2


Yes, but neutrinos are completely harmless.
 
  • #3


clem said:
Yes, but neutrinos are completely harmless.

Well, they are not _completely_ harmless, but energy released through conventional pathways is much more damaging than neutrinos.

With nukes, you don't even have to worry (much) about direct gamma radiation. Any person close enough to the epicenter to suffer radiation sickness, will most likely get killed by the combination of the shockwave and infrared radiation.
 
  • #4


To my knowledge, neutrinos are not generated during the fission process - just fission products (two nuclei), neutrons and gamma rays, and photons from X-rays to infrared as ionized atoms regain electrons (recombination). The neutrinos come afterward from the beta decays of the fission products - and that would be seconds, minutes, hours or days later (depending on the radionuclide).

In a nuclear weapon, the fission reaction is over in a matter of microseconds, as it is prompt supercritical until the fissile material is dispersed (it vaporizes).

Besides - neutrinos have a very low cross-section for interaction with matter.
 
  • #5


don’t neutrinos pass through our body every second from the sun .
 
  • #6


Thank you "Astronuc"^_^

"Hydrogen Bomb" explosion can produce "neutrino pluse" ?
 
  • #7


As we know,during ''core-collapse supernova"explosion, the hot temprature can produce numerous neutrinos and antineutrinos .During SN1987a, here we on Earth detected them.

During the nuclear explosion, the temprature is very very hot in the explosion center,if the temprature is hot enough to produce "neutrino-antineutrino" pairs(thermal neutrino)?
 
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  • #8


magnetar said:
Thank you "Astronuc"^_^

"Hydrogen Bomb" explosion can produce "neutrino pluse" ?
A hydrogen bomb explosion is also of a short duration - again in microseconds. The fusion (mostly d+t, but probably some d+d, assuming a D+T mixture) is initiated by the gamma/X-ray burst from a fission (trigger) explosion.

The fusion reaction is short term, and I believe neutrinos are absent. d+t -> alpha + n, and d+d -> p + t or n + He3.


A "core-collapse supernova" explosion takes place over days, so it is orders of magnitude greater than any thermonuclear explosion humans can achieve.
 
  • #9


Astronuc said:
A "core-collapse supernova" explosion takes place over days, so it is orders of magnitude greater than any thermonuclear explosion humans can achieve.

The neutrino production phase takes around 90 seconds. Neutrinos are produced through the process [itex]p + e^- \rightarrow n + \nu_e[/itex] as the core becomes a neutron star. (That's where the neutrons come from to make a neutron star). This process is negligible in nuclear explosions.

You're absolutely right that the energies in SN are enormous. They are measured in units of 1051 ergs.
 
  • #10


Vanadium 50 said:
The neutrino production phase takes around 90 seconds. Neutrinos are produced through the process [itex]p + e^- \rightarrow n + \nu_e[/itex] as the core becomes a neutron star. (That's where the neutrons come from to make a neutron star). This process is negligible in nuclear explosions.

You're absolutely right that the energies in SN are enormous. They are measured in units of 1051 ergs.
Thanks for the comment V. In terms of time, I was thinking that the core collapse takes places over days, as opposed to the nuclear reaction (p + e-) which is on the order of seconds. And SNs are enormous.

Even the entire Earth is neglible compared to our Sun.
 

Related to Can nuclear weapons explosion produce neutrino pluse ?

1. Can nuclear weapons explosion produce neutrino pulse?

Yes, nuclear weapons explosions can produce a burst of neutrinos known as a neutrino pulse. This pulse is caused by the high-energy reactions and collisions that occur during the explosion, which release a large number of neutrinos.

2. How are neutrinos produced during a nuclear weapons explosion?

Neutrinos are produced during a nuclear weapons explosion through various processes, such as beta decay, fission, and fusion. These reactions release high-energy particles, including neutrinos, which travel at nearly the speed of light.

3. Are neutrinos harmful during a nuclear weapons explosion?

No, neutrinos are not harmful during a nuclear weapons explosion. They are highly penetrating particles that can pass through matter without interacting with it. This means that they do not have any significant impact on the explosion or its effects.

4. How do scientists detect neutrinos from a nuclear weapons explosion?

Scientists can detect neutrinos from a nuclear weapons explosion using specialized detectors, such as neutrino telescopes or neutrino detectors. These detectors are designed to capture the tiny signals produced when neutrinos interact with matter.

5. Can neutrino pulses be used to detect clandestine nuclear weapons tests?

Yes, neutrino pulses can potentially be used to detect clandestine nuclear weapons tests as they are difficult to shield and can travel long distances without being affected. However, this technology is still in its early stages and requires further development before it can be used for this purpose.

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