Firepit Chats Encouraging Conversation F1C
From the anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, to Iranian nuclear reactors to nuclear submarines, it may be useful to have a basic understanding of The Nuclear Realm for discussion and consideration.
In this series of three articles, we are attempting to demystify the core concepts and components, and distinct characteristics of both, alongside critical safety considerations and associated dangers. This is the last of this “trilogy.” See Parts I and II published on The Steady State Substack page on August 6 and 8, 2025, respectively.
Nuclear Weapons: Uncontrolled Power
Nuclear weapons are explosive devices that derive their destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. They are designed to release their energy virtually instantaneously and uncontrollably.
Distinguishing Between an Atom Bomb and a Hydrogen Bomb:
The terms “Atom Bomb” and “Hydrogen Bomb” refer to different types of nuclear weapons, each type based on the primary nuclear reaction used.
Atom Bomb (Fission Bomb): Also known as an atomic bomb, A-bomb, or fission bomb. These weapons derive their explosive energy solely from nuclear fission. They work by rapidly assembling a “critical mass” of fissile material (uranium-235 or plutonium-239) so that an uncontrolled chain reaction occurs, releasing a massive amount of energy in a fraction of a second.
Has it been Used? Yes. Two atomic bombs have been used in warfare:
“Little Boy” (uranium bomb) dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945.
“Fat Man” (plutonium bomb) dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, on August 9, 1945.
Just for the record, the Manhattan Project used both paths- U235 and Pu 239. The Atomic Bomb, used at Hiroshima, was a Uranium weapon; it was assumed to be virtually certain to work and was not tested. The plutonium fueled bomb was tested, successfully, at the Alamogordo test site, about 200 miles south of Los Alamos, and used at Nagasaki.
Hydrogen Bomb (Thermonuclear Bomb): Also known as an H-bomb or thermonuclear bomb. These are far more powerful than fission bombs. They use a two-stage process:
A fission bomb (an “atomic bomb”) is the first stage of the weapon and acts as a trigger that initiates the fusion reaction.
The extreme heat and pressure generated by the primary fission explosion ignite a secondary stage containing fusion fuel (typically isotopes of hydrogen, like deuterium and tritium). This fusion reaction releases immense amounts of energy. Often, an outer layer of uranium is also present, which then undergoes fission from the high-energy neutrons produced by fusion, further increasing the yield (known as a fission-fusion-fission weapon).
Has it been Used? Hydrogen bombs have not been used in warfare against an enemy. However, many nations, including the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, China, France, India, and North Korea, have detonated them in tests. The largest was the Soviet Union’s “Tsar Bomba” in 1961, with a 50 megaton yield.
Types of Nuclear Weapons:
Beyond the distinction between fission and fusion, nuclear weapons can be categorized by their delivery system (e.g., intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, gravity bombs) and their size/yield.
Safety Issues Distinct to Nuclear Weapons (Beyond Deliberate Use):
Accidental Detonation: Although highly unlikely due to multiple safety interlocks, there is always a theoretical risk of an accidental detonation, particularly during transport, storage, or handling.
Unauthorized Use: The risk that a nuclear weapon could be launched or used without proper authorization, potentially by a rogue element or through a catastrophic command and control failure.
Theft or Diversion of Materials: The danger of fissile material (highly enriched uranium or plutonium) being stolen or diverted by non-state actors (terrorists) to construct a crude nuclear device.
Nuclear Winter/Climate Disruption: Even a limited nuclear exchange could inject enough soot and dust into the atmosphere to cause a “nuclear winter,” leading to drastic global cooling, widespread crop failures, and mass starvation.
Margaret Henoch was born in Los Alamos and developed her understanding of the nuclear world, nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons by listening to her father at the dinner table over about a decade and a half. After college she worked for SRI, International assessing the technical capabilities of airborne advanced radar and communication systems on fighter and bomber aircraft, and after five years of that, joined the Clandestine Service of the CIA, where she served for 25 years. She is a member of The Steady State.
Dr. Tony Fainberg has spent a career in basic and applied research in physics, as applied to national security issues, such as counter terrorism and nuclear nonproliferation. He received his PhD from University of California Berkeley in 1969. He has served on congressional staff, in several agencies of the Executive Branch and with a government-sponsored research institution. Dr. Fainberg is a member of The Steady State.
(Much of this Primer is based on or quoted from information in the Manhattan Project Interactive History, which was produced by the Department of Energy and is available on the internet. ) For a Deeper Dive please see “The Nuclear Realm” https://thesteadystate.org/media-and-posts/
Founded in 2016, The Steady State is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(4) organization of more than 300 former senior national security professionals. Our membership includes former officials from the CIA, FBI, Department of State, Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security. Drawing on deep expertise across national security disciplines including intelligence, diplomacy, military affairs and law, we advocate for constitutional democracy, the rule of law and the preservation of America’s national security institutions.