Nuclear Blast Radius Map
Pick a target, choose a weapon yield, and map the fireball, blast, thermal, and radiation rings using public Glasstone & Dolan scaling laws.
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Nuclear Blast Radius Map
Map the blast, thermal, and radiation rings of a nuclear bomb
Place a modeled detonation anywhere on the map, choose a documented yield or a custom value, and compare optimum airburst and surface-burst effects as concentric fireball, blast, heat, and prompt-radiation rings.
How to use the blast map
- Tap the map, use the keyboard target, or pick a city for ground zero.
- Choose a preset, move the logarithmic slider, or enter a custom yield.
- Switch between an airburst and a surface burst.
- Read the effect rings in kilometres and miles, then export the map.
How the radii are calculated
The map uses public scaling laws from Glasstone and Dolan's The Effects of Nuclear Weapons. Blast distance follows cube-root yield scaling, while thermal and prompt-radiation radii use fitted public power laws.
What the effect rings mean
The rings show the fireball; 20, 5, and 1 psi blast thresholds; third-degree burn exposure; and, where it extends past the heavy-blast ring, an approximate 500 rem prompt-radiation dose. Fallout is not modeled.
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Nuclear blast radius FAQ
What is a nuclear blast radius?
It is the distance from a detonation to a particular modeled effect threshold. There is no single radius: fireball, blast overpressure, heat, and prompt radiation each have a different ring, and each grows differently with yield.
How is a nuclear blast radius calculated?
Blast radii use cube-root yield scaling, so a 1,000 kiloton weapon reaches about ten times farther than a 1 kiloton weapon at the same overpressure. Thermal and prompt-radiation rings use separate public fitted scaling laws.
What is the blast radius of a nuclear bomb?
It depends on yield and the effect threshold. A modeled 15 kiloton airburst has a roughly 1.8 kilometre 5 psi ring and 4.4 kilometre 1 psi ring; at 1 megaton those become roughly 7.1 and 18 kilometres.
What is the difference between an airburst and a surface burst?
An optimum airburst detonates above the ground to extend blast effects over a larger area and produces relatively little local fallout. A surface burst has a larger fireball, smaller blast rings, and lifts contaminated debris into the cloud; this tool does not draw fallout.
How far does prompt radiation reach?
The approximate 500 rem prompt-radiation ring is most relevant for smaller yields. At larger yields, blast and thermal effects extend much farther. Long-term fallout can travel far downwind but depends on weather and is outside this model.
How accurate is this nuclear blast radius map?
The rings are educational modeled estimates based on public Glasstone and Dolan scaling laws. Real effects vary with terrain, weather, buildings, burst height, and other conditions, so the map is not emergency-planning guidance.
Educational effects estimates only; fallout and local conditions are not modeled.