Brian Molanphy on thu 1 may 03
amy worthington wrote in the idaho observer 16/4:
'When a DU [depleted uranium, used in both gulf wars] shell is fired, it
ignites upon impact. Uranium, plus traces of plutonium and americium,
vaporize into tiny, ceramic particles of radioactive dust. Once inhaled,
uranium oxides lodge in the body and emit radiation indefinitely. A =
single
particle of DU lodged in a lymph node can devastate the entire immune
system according to British radiation expert Roger Coghill.'
can anyone say what exactly is ceramic here? some part of the munition
aside from the d.u., or the d.u. itself?
brian
Edouard Bastarache on thu 1 may 03
Brian,
it seems to modern civilizations that D.U. is more usefull to
Armed Forces in Irak than in pottery making.
We live in a weird world.
Hum !!!
Later,
"Ils sont fous ces Quebecois"
Edouard Bastarache
Irreductible Quebecois
Indomitable Quebeker
Sorel-Tracy
Quebec
edouardb@sorel-tracy.qc.ca
http://sorel-tracy.qc.ca/~edouardb/
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/smart2000/index.htm
----- Original Message -----
From: Brian Molanphy
To:
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2003 10:16 AM
Subject: depleted uranium-ceramic?
amy worthington wrote in the idaho observer 16/4:
'When a DU [depleted uranium, used in both gulf wars] shell is fired, it
ignites upon impact. Uranium, plus traces of plutonium and americium,
vaporize into tiny, ceramic particles of radioactive dust. Once inhaled,
uranium oxides lodge in the body and emit radiation indefinitely. A single
particle of DU lodged in a lymph node can devastate the entire immune
system according to British radiation expert Roger Coghill.'
can anyone say what exactly is ceramic here? some part of the munition
aside from the d.u., or the d.u. itself?
brian
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Ditmar on thu 1 may 03
I'd take the article with a grain of salt.
Don't always believe 100% what you read. Reporters and other news people
often mis- understand, mis-quote and mis-lead. Not necessarily
intentionally. ( though some do)
Additionally regard the source.....Idaho Observer, and the author. Both
oriented to a particular mindset and a certain political tilt that's being
promoted.
That said...... In a loose definition of ceramic, the DU oxides created at
impact probably fuse and create the aerosol / small particles that then
contaminate the area.
D
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Molanphy"
To:
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2003 4:16 AM
Subject: depleted uranium-ceramic?
amy worthington wrote in the idaho observer 16/4:
'When a DU [depleted uranium, used in both gulf wars] shell is fired, it
ignites upon impact. Uranium, plus traces of plutonium and americium,
vaporize into tiny, ceramic particles of radioactive dust. Once inhaled,
uranium oxides lodge in the body and emit radiation indefinitely. A single
particle of DU lodged in a lymph node can devastate the entire immune
system according to British radiation expert Roger Coghill.'
can anyone say what exactly is ceramic here? some part of the munition
aside from the d.u., or the d.u. itself?
brian
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
rob on fri 2 may 03
Okay, clarification time...
The slug itself is a ceramic matrix; that is, it is DEPLETED uranium
suspended in an aluminum/silica mixture, supercompressed and fired very
high...this is so that it can withstand the heat and force of its intended
use.
Secondly, DU rounds do not readily disintegrate. That's the whole point.
They're machined with a tungsten-carbide penetration point, and the DU
provides mass behind the carbide. They're meant to penetrate armour, and
they do it very well. They can often be found on the battlefield more or
less intact after impact.
Against modern cermaic/steel laminate armour (Chobham Slab, found on the
M-1A1 and British Centurion), they are marginally effective, and will tend
to break up on impact with the armoured surface. Against the obsolete steel
and hardened aluminum plate of the Iraqi tanks (old Soviet t-65's and
t-85's, stuff left over from the 70's and early 80's), they make a neat
little hole going in, and a neat little hole passing out the other side
(provided they don't hit anything like an engine or magazine on the way
through). Of course, the shock wave set up by this passage pull the crew
out through said hole, after flash-burning them and igniting anything
flammable inside the crew compartment.
The energy-transfer here is enormous. If fired at point-blank range against
a 12-inch thick slab of the hardest armour currently manufactured, the round
converts to plasma on impact. That's because there's a LOT of kinetic
energy that has to go somewhere.
Now, by its nature, Depleted Uranium is only very slightly radioactive; its
half-life as a high-energy isotope has ended and it has reverted to a
low-energy state. You would actually absorb more radiation from a radium
watch dial than from any putative dust from a Depleted Uranium artillery
round.
BTW, its HDDUAP- High-Density Depleted-Uranium Armour-Peircing.
This info is from an acquaintance who works at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds
in Aberdeen, MD, and plays with the big toys all the time.
Rob Van Rens
-at Pine Ridge Pottery Supply in Alexandria, VA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ditmar"
To:
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2003 12:34 PM
Subject: Re: depleted uranium-ceramic?
> I'd take the article with a grain of salt.
>
> Don't always believe 100% what you read. Reporters and other news people
> often mis- understand, mis-quote and mis-lead. Not necessarily
> intentionally. ( though some do)
> Additionally regard the source.....Idaho Observer, and the author. Both
> oriented to a particular mindset and a certain political tilt that's being
> promoted.
>
> That said...... In a loose definition of ceramic, the DU oxides created at
> impact probably fuse and create the aerosol / small particles that then
> contaminate the area.
>
> D
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Brian Molanphy"
> To:
> Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2003 4:16 AM
> Subject: depleted uranium-ceramic?
>
>
> amy worthington wrote in the idaho observer 16/4:
>
> 'When a DU [depleted uranium, used in both gulf wars] shell is fired, it
> ignites upon impact. Uranium, plus traces of plutonium and americium,
> vaporize into tiny, ceramic particles of radioactive dust. Once inhaled,
> uranium oxides lodge in the body and emit radiation indefinitely. A single
> particle of DU lodged in a lymph node can devastate the entire immune
> system according to British radiation expert Roger Coghill.'
>
> can anyone say what exactly is ceramic here? some part of the munition
> aside from the d.u., or the d.u. itself?
>
> brian
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
> __
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
Alan Walker on sat 3 may 03
amy worthington wrote in the idaho observer 16/4:
'When a DU [depleted uranium, used in both gulf wars] shell is fired, it
ignites upon impact. Uranium, plus traces of plutonium and americium,
vaporize into tiny, ceramic particles of radioactive dust. Once inhaled,
uranium oxides lodge in the body and emit radiation indefinitely. A single
particle of DU lodged in a lymph node can devastate the entire immune
system according to British radiation expert Roger Coghill.'
can anyone say what exactly is ceramic here? some part of the munition
aside from the d.u., or the d.u. itself?
_____________________________________________________________
It depends on your definition of ceramic. Some people would say that any
metal oxide can be considered a ceramic. There are ceramics made of thorium
oxide, so I suppose you could make a case for uranium oxide.
Cheers
AW
Alan Walker on sun 4 may 03
> Of course, the shock wave set up by this passage pull the crew
> out through said hole, after flash-burning them and igniting anything
> flammable inside the crew compartment.
>
Now doesn't that make you feel just sooo proud of the acheivements of the
human race.
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