Weapons & delivery systems
Thermonuclear Weapon
Synonym for hydrogen bomb — a nuclear weapon whose primary energy comes from fusion reactions.
A thermonuclear weapon uses a fission "primary" to drive radiation implosion of a fusion "secondary." This staged design (Teller–Ulam configuration) allows yields scalable from tens of kilotons to tens of megatons.
Related terms
Hydrogen Bomb
A nuclear weapon that derives most of its energy from nuclear fusion of hydrogen isotopes, ignited by a fission primary stage.
Teller-Ulam Design
The two-stage design used in nearly all modern thermonuclear weapons, named after physicists Edward Teller and Stanislaw Ulam.
Nuclear Fusion
The combination of light atomic nuclei (typically deuterium and tritium) into heavier nuclei, releasing energy.