22" At the end of a conductor, the pu.r-se might cause burnout of a sensitiveelectronic conponent such as atr rsr circuit, or sone other component of a system andhence cause malfunctioning o? breakdorrr of the entire system. 'rrrrougl, a chainreaction, electricaf po\,rer and telephone networks might collapse atttough tireuncertainty in this field is laree. E. Initial nuclear rad.iation 23' The essential difference between a nuclear and large conwent.ional (chenical)explosion with regard to bl-ast and. thenna^f radjation is one of nagnituae.Differences in effects merery reflect differences in amorurt or enErgy ""r_..""a. There are' however, consequences of a nucfear burst that do not have any counrerpartin a conventional explosion; the inmed.iate release of nuc]-ear radiation and. thecreation of radioactive particles vhich wilr go on emitting nuclear radiation for along tine' rt is customary to separate this radiation intJ two parts - that enittedwi.thin one minute aro,nd. the bursl point and that caused- by the return ofradioactive particles (fattout) over an extended peaiod of time to the ground. Theformer is referred to as initiar nuclear rad.iation and the time of one roinut e ischosen because after this period the tlmushroom clorrdrl containing nost of theradioactive particres for an air burst wir-f have risen to a heilnt from rnrhich theradiation can reach the gxound. in negligible amount s only.!6 AF'{"2?!:?' rnniX Faee 167 2l+' The initial nuclear radiation - nost of vhich vi11 be ?er-eased in bhe first .econds folrowing a nuclea! expl0sion - "onsi"t* essentially of fast neurrons an. g4rnrna rays. Arthoush oart of this radiation wir_f be absorbe. by the weapon nateriaf itsetf' corossar *o'-i" wi-ri in g"";;;i-;;;.;" 