CHEMICAL WARFARE

File: 123096_sep96_decls2_0001.txt
Page: 0001
Total Pages: 2

Subject: CHEMICAL WARFARE                                                

Unit: OTSG        

Parent Organization: HSC         

Box  ID: BX003201

Folder Title: CHEMICAL WARFARE                                                                                

Document Number:          1

Folder Seq  #:         26



                                      GONF'DENF*W



             G.   CHEMICAL WARFARE

                 @The desert environment presents some very definite
             changes in the doctrine relating to chemical warfare. The
             factors of heat, dust, and sunlight, which includes ultraviolet
             and infrared radiation, have a-definite influence on most of
             our chemical warfare agents. The Israeli doctrine is based
             upon the knowledge that the Egyptians have used CW agents in
             the Yemen Invasion (Ref. 16).

                  (U) There is an increased volatility particularly of
             mustard and V agents (nerve gas). The low humidity of the
             desert atmosphere, with the exception of the coastal deserts,
             will delay the degradation hydrolysis. This will increase the
             persistency of many of the agents in the desert environment.
             The effect of direct radiation, that is ultraviolet and infra-
             red, does not affect the degradation of these agents. The
             meteorological effects in the desert will have an influence on
             the distribution of the CW agents. There is more wind in the
             desert, particularly on the surface of the ground, because of
             the lack of vegetation. This will dissipate the gas clouds
             more easily. At nighttime the change in temperature brings on
             a greater inversion which would make the use of these agents
             more effective after dusk and before dawn. Because of the high
             "lapse" during the daytime, which is the reve-rse of the tempera-
             ture inversion, the use of these agents is practically prohibi-
             tive. Thus the time of day becomes of vital importance in use
             or distribution of CW agents.

                  (U) The effect of the ultraviolet radiation on the skin
             to produce hyperemia will have an influence on the penetration
the V agents. The infrared radiation will bring more blood
             to the skin and increase the penetration of mustard as well as
             V agents. Sweating increases the blistering effect of mustard
             gasses, but retards V agent penetration through the skin. V
             agent is soluble in sweat and this solubility is inverted


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                                            ENf mAt-

Document 2 f:/Week-36/BX003201/CHEMICAL WARFARE/chemical warfare:1217960927473
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-36
Box ID = BX003201
Unit = OTSG
Parent Organization = HSC
Folder Title = CHEMICAL WARFARE
Folder Seq # = 26
Subject = CHEMICAL WARFARE
Document Seq # = 1
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 17-DEC-1996