air-burst
Explosion above ground
An air-burst is an explosion that occurs in the atmosphere rather than on the ground or underwater.
The term applies most often to nuclear weapons detonated at altitude to maximize blast damage over a wide area, though it also describes conventional munitions and natural phenomena like meteor explosions.
The Hiroshima bomb was an air-burst detonated about 1,900 feet above the city.
Luminous meteor or explosion
- flashBrief burst of light
- blastSudden forceful burst
- ignitionStarting combustion process
- combustionExothermic reaction with oxygen
plume · debris · smoke · flare · incendiary · rupture · disintegration · pyrotechnics
Pressure exceeding ambient levels
- blastwavePressure wave from explosion
- concussionBrain injury from impact
- impulseSudden urge to act
- supersonicExceeding audio velocity
hypersonic · transonic · reverberation · acoustic · infrasound · percussion · rumble · tremor
Munition's explosive section
- fuzingInstalling detonation mechanisms
- ordnanceMilitary weapons collectively
- munitionsMilitary weapons and ammunition
- fragmentationBreaking into smaller pieces
thermobaric · dispersal · payload · yield · kiloton · fallout · daisy-cutter · artillery
fireball
Luminous meteor or explosion
combustion · plume · debris · smoke · flare · incendiary · rupture · disintegration · pyrotechnics · brilliance
overpressure
Pressure exceeding ambient levels
- blastwavePressure wave from explosion
- concussionBrain injury from impact
- impulseSudden urge to act
supersonic · hypersonic · transonic · reverberation · acoustic · infrasound · percussion · rumble · tremor · vibration
warhead
Munition's explosive section
- fuzingInstalling detonation mechanisms
- ordnanceMilitary weapons collectively
- munitionsMilitary weapons and ammunition
fragmentation · thermobaric · dispersal · payload · yield · kiloton · fallout · daisy-cutter · artillery · mortar