10 Mar
2002
10 Mar
'02
3:16 a.m.
I don't get it. What does the detonation of the
atomic bomb have to do
with steel?
> Except for "clean" steel, which is hard
to get. A lot of it
> came from the German ships scuttled after WWI (in Scapa Flow).
> There's some other sources out there, like the German U-Boats
> scuttled after WWII, but before the first detonation of the
> atomic bomb.
Steel production uses a lot of air, and since the first
atomic bomb detonation there's been a low-level amount
of radiation in the air, with makes the steel slightly
radioactive. There's also been some improper scrapping
of steel from nuclear powered ships and submarines that
was mixed with other steel.
While the radioactive level of manufactured steel is
low, there are some uses that require "clean" steel,
such as radiation detectors and some medical devices.
--
Eric Dittman
dittman(a)dittman.net
Check out the DEC Enthusiasts Club at http://www.dittman.net/