Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/08/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]And since I was a kid in the 50's I been worried about Dr. Strangelove. If I'd only know U235 was so harmless I coulda been putting it on my cereal. Adam Bridge wrote: > Sigh - not BILLION years. Geesh. Come on guys at least TRY to get some > half-life information correct. > > Here's a Wikipedia article on Deplete Uranium. You can search for more > inflammatory or more sanguine articles with Google or your search > engine of choice. > > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depleted_uranium> > > As a beta emitter U-238's decay chain isn't too bad since, as long as > it's external to the body your skin will block the high-energy > electrons emitted. Taken internally, however, it's more problamatical > but not nearly as nasty as the alpha-emitters whose high-energy helium > nuclii can do serious damage. (The most common source of alpha > emission is radon gas which is a naturally occuring decay product > found from a variety of natural sources, not to mention the decay > chains of fission products. In areas with lots of granite, for > instance, having a radon detector in your home would make a lot of > sense.) > > Adam > > On 8/8/06, G Hopkinson <hoppyman@bigpond.net.au> wrote: > >> Hang on Don. >> This projectile has no magic burning through properties. It's all about >> density vs cross section. Add that to high velocity and you have >> enormous >> kinetic energy in the penetrator. The projectile will shed mass after >> penetrating, plus the armour itself will add to the stream. It is also >> pyrophoric so you would expect catastrophic heat along with the >> shrapnel and >> spalled armour. An extremely lethal shower of very hot sharp material. >> Regarding the radiation, it may be relatively benign to handle as you >> noted, >> but the dust particles from a round impact are VERY bad juju should you >> inhale them. That would be the least of your problems if you were >> sitting >> within the target. Visiting it later would not be recommended either. >> It may >> well be very toxic within the next few billion years or so. >> Regarding the chain gun, it is a different but allied design to the >> rotary >> barrel "gatling" designs. The principle benefits are simplicity and >> extreme >> reliability. >> >> Cheers >> Hoppy Gunny and M9 Guy >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org >> [mailto:lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org] On >> Behalf Of >> Don Dory >> Sent: Tuesday, 8 August 2006 12:59 >> To: Leica Users Group >> Subject: Re: [Leica] [was] Another Altered Photo / now WAY OT >> >> Jerry, >> >From a military perspective, depleted uranium is almost irresistable >> as an >> anti-amour round. The uranium literally burns through armour without >> the >> extreme kinetic energy generally required. Thus a 30mm chain gun can >> become >> a heavy tank killer. The military will not stop using it as it works >> too >> well. As I understand the spent rounds are primarily a Beta emitter >> so not >> that hazardous as radioactive things go. >> >> Don >> don.dory@gmail.com >> >> >> On 8/7/06, Haussler, Gerald R - San Mateo, CA >> <gerald.r.haussler@usps.gov> >> wrote: >> > >> > Gents; >> > isn't Depleted Uranium (DU) nuclear waste ? >> > seems to me the Pentagon found a use for that stuff >> > about 15 years ago. i thought they stopped using it, >> > but i now understand it continues. >> > regards >> > jerry >> > >> > *************************************************** >> > used nuclear waste ;-) >> > >> > Lottermoser George wrote: >> > >> > > Shipping? ; ^ ) >> > > >> > > Regards, >> > > George Lottermoser >> > > george@imagist.com >> > > On Aug 7, 2006, at 2:02 PM, Walt Johnson wrote: >> > > >> > >> Sell it to the Saudis >> > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Leica Users Group. >> > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> > >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > >