Nuclear and Thermal Pollution

Contents: Foreword. 1. Nuclear pollution. 2. Thermal pollution. 3. Climatic effect of big cooling towers. Bibliography. Index.

“Nuclear pollution is caused due to the addition. Through activities of man, of ionizing radiations to he environment giving people an exposure to more of such radiations than they normally would experience. Radiation is able to permeate the universe, the solar system, and the earth. The surface of the planet would get bombarded with radiation form the sun so intense that life would be in danger if it were not for the atmosphere that surrounds the earth.

The atmosphere is able to screen out much of the sun’s radiation, including most of that which would be lethal to life. Cosmic rays, coming from outer space at high velocity are able to strike the earth continually and penetrate deeply into the surface. Naturally occurring radioactive elements are found in the rocks, water, and air and in all living organism.

Some of the incoming radiation gets trapped by the earth’s magnetic field. The far-reaching portion of the atmosphere, called the magnetosphere, is having an area of high-energy radiation called the Van Allen region. It is roughly doughnut shaped, extending from about 500 miles above the earth at the equator to an altitude of about 40,000 miles. The Van Allen region was at first thought to present a major obstacle to space travel, but further studies revealed that astronauts would pass through the zones of high radiation quickly and that precautions could be taken to disallow excessive exposure.

We have now leaned how to produce radiation in many forms, and our exposure to the normal level of environmental radiation that remained relatively constant for millions of years have been greatly increased.

This book will be of immense help to all those contemplating to acquire expert knowledge of the nuclear and thermal pollution abatement.” (jacket)