Scenario 11

Radiological Attack –

Radiological Dispersal Devices

Casualties	180 fatalities; 270 injuries; 20,000 detectible contaminations (at each site)
Infrastructure Damage	Near the explosion
Evacuations/Displaced Persons	10,000 evacuated to shelters in safe areas (decontamination required prior to entering shelters) 25,000 in each city are given shelter in place instructions Hundreds of thousands self-evacuate from major urban areas in anticipation of future attacks
Contamination	36 city blocks (at each site)
Economic Impact	Up to billions of dollars
Potential for Multiple Events	Yes
Recovery Timeline	Months to years

Scenario General Description

In this scenario, the UA purchases stolen Cesium Chloride (CsCI) to make a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) or “dirty bomb”. The explosive and the shielded Cesium-137 (137Cs) sources are smuggled into the country. Detonator cord is stolen from a mining operation, and all other materials are obtained legally in the United States. Devices are detonated in three separate, but regionally close, moderate to large cities.

137Cs is mostly used in the form of CsCI because it is easy to precipitate. CsCI is a fairly fine, light powder with a typical median particle size of about 300 microns. Fractions below 10 microns are typically less than 1%. In an RDD, most will fall out within approximately 1000 to 2000 feet (although many variables exist), but a small amount may be carried great distances, even hundreds of miles.