Nuclear weapon effects
Acute Radiation Syndrome
The constellation of medical symptoms following a high dose of ionizing radiation, including nausea, immune-system failure, hemorrhage, and death.
ARS occurs at whole-body doses of about 1 Sievert and above. Doses of 4-6 Sv kill about half of untreated victims within 60 days; doses above 8 Sv are usually fatal even with intensive supportive care. Symptoms progress through prodromal, latent, manifest illness, and either recovery or death.
Related terms
Fallout
Radioactive material thrown into the atmosphere by a surface-burst nuclear detonation, which then settles back to earth over hours to weeks.
Sievert (Sv)
The SI unit of equivalent dose of ionizing radiation, accounting for biological effect.
Gamma Radiation
High-energy electromagnetic radiation emitted by nuclear processes, capable of penetrating most materials and damaging living tissue.