WMD. NUCLEAR, THERMONUCLEAR, NEUTRON AND COBALT BOMBS A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of four categories of nuclear weapons: pure fission (atomic), thermonuclear (hydrogen), enhanced radiation (neutron), and salted (cobalt) bombs. The classification is based on weapon design, yield, energy distribution (blast vs. thermal vs. radiation), delivery systems, and residual contamination. Thermonuclear weapons remain the primary strategic deterrent, with yields up to 50 Mt. Neutron bombs were developed as tactical anti‑armor weapons, producing 10× more neutrons than fission weapons of the same yield, with a lethal radiation radius of 1.2 km (2× larger than blast radius). Cobalt bombs remain a theoretical "doomsday" concept, designed to contaminate areas for decades with Co‑60 (half‑life 5.27 years). The paper concludes with a comparative table and references to declassified U.S. government documents and ICRP recommendations.