Zoning of the nuclear injury epicenter based on the gamma-to-neutron radiation component ratio
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Background. Zoning of nuclear damage areas according to the degree of impact on infrastructure and population is one of the key methods in assessing the situation and should enable reliable prediction of sanitary and irreversible losses. However, radiation exposure under conditions of pulsed gamma-neutron penetrating radiation is not taken into account in current zoning systems. There are no generalized approaches for quantitatively determining the boundaries of zones dominated by either the gamma or neutron component, nor is there a clear biological interpretation of these zones in terms of time to lethality. The aim of the study is to develop a radiation-biological model of human damage zones that considers not only the total absorbed dose but also the spectral composition of radiation and allows the relationship to be established between the neutron component fraction, the type of nuclear munition, and the timing of lethality. Materials and methods. Based on existing semi-empirical patterns implemented in the Mathcad mathematical software package, the ratios of penetrating radiation components were calculated for munitions of various types depending on the distance from the explosion center. Results. Based on the generalization of experimental and computational data on mixed gamma-neutron exposure, a zoning model was developed that accounts not only for the total absorbed dose but also for the ratio of radiation components. A parameter was proposed, fn = Dn /Dn + D, which characterizes the fraction of the neutron component in the total dose. On this basis, three zone types were defined: neutron-dominant (fn > 0.66) — instantaneous or rapid lethality (hours); equilibrated (mixed) (0.33 ≤ fn ≤ 0.66) — lethality within 24 hours; gamma-dominant (fn < 0.33) — delayed death (1–3 days). Such a three-level zoning system makes it possible not only to assess the radiation-biological characteristics of the field but also to link its spectral structure with lethality time intervals. Conclusions. The proposed zoning system connects the physical characteristics of radiation with its biological consequences, enabling more accurate prediction of the severity and rate of human injury in different sectors of the radiation field.
Source: EMERGENCY MEDICINE
Language: English
Subfield: Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7130854592