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How hot is a nuclear weapon?

Updated: 9/17/2023
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12y ago

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The heat of a nuclear weapon is determined by the rate of decay of fissile material in the core.

For example the smallest amount of Plutonium capable of being used with a neutron reflector at natural critical mass is about 4 kilograms of 93% 239Pu.

Unfortunately a small portion of the remaining 7% will be Plutonium 240 which decays at a faster rate and thus generates heat from it's decay.

In a 4 kilogram mass of Weapons Grade (93% 239Pu) Plutonium, every 937,440 seconds it will generate 0.769 MeV. That's a reasonable amount of energy like having it wrapped by a warm electric blanket.

Over time, this degrades the Plutonium and eventually renders it useless for a nuclear weapon. Every now and then approximately every 15 years the Plutonium in a warhead needs changing.

Heat also makes a nuclear warhead less potent and reduces the yield.

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