The suggestion is that nuclear detonations produce nitrogen oxides that are carried into the stratosphere and which are responsible for ozone depletion. Swedin's scenario depicts the use of some 2,400 nuclear weapons - some 98% of which by the US - resulting in substantial ozone depletion, especially over the northern hemisphere. The use of weapons is in line with what is now known about the US SIOP war plan and the actual level of Soviet nuclear forces; how accurate Swedin's estimate is of the aftereffect I don't know. It is memtioned in the narrative that the winter of 1962-3 was exceptionally cold (with harsh consequences for an already devastated Europe) and there may be an implication that this was due to the Fire.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2012-05-12 03:04 pm (UTC)