What primarily determines the size of the kill zone and damage-survival zones of a nuclear detonation?

The size of the kill zone and damage-survival zones of a nuclear detonation is primarily determined by the weapon yield, which refers to the total energy released when the nuclear weapon is detonated. The yield is typically measured in kilotons or megatons of TNT and directly affects the extent of the blast, thermal radiation, and initial nuclear radiation produced by the explosion.

A higher yield results in a more powerful explosion, which expands the kill zone, where immediate fatalities and destruction occur, and influences the damage-survival zones, where varying levels of destruction and injuries can be sustained. The energy released impacts not only the radius of the explosion but also how far radiation and thermal effects can reach, causing varying degrees of damage over larger areas.

While other factors like the altitude of the detonation also play a role—altering the fireball size and thermal radiation effects—overall, the weapon yield is the most significant factor in determining the scale of devastation resultant from the nuclear detonation.