That's a big bomb - Page 2

tracilicious · 03-30-2006, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

700 tons is not the literal weight of the bomb. When talking about the "tonage" of a bomb, it refers to the explosive force and means that "X number of tons of TNT would produce the same force explosion."

Thanks for that, as I was picturing a ginormous bomb.

€uroMeinke · 03-30-2006, 03:54 PM

I don't know what was Hiroshima, 15 kilotons? This is but a fraction - I want to see a Real mushroom cloud.

Ghoulish Delight · 03-30-2006, 03:55 PM

Oh, and I just noticed that this is a British report, which leaves some ambiguity.

Do they really mean tonne, or did they just "translate" the Amercain defense official's "ton" into "tonne"?

An American standard "ton", which can also be called a "short ton" is defined to be exactly 2,000lbs.

A "tonne" however, as commonly used in Britain, is a metric ton which is 1,000 kilograms, which is actually about 2,200lbs.

So, if they really mean "tonne", then it's actually 770 tons. However it's probably more likely that the reporter didn't know the disctinction, or decided to ignore the relatively insignificant 10% difference and just "translated" ton to tonne and left the 700 alone.

(incidentally, a 700 ton bomb would be a 635 tonne bomb)

BarTopDancer · 03-30-2006, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

I want to see a Real mushroom cloud.

Alex · 03-30-2006, 04:21 PM

Video of the May 4, 1988 explosion of the PEPCON rocket fuel factory outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. The resulting mushroom cloud momentarily had people thinking that Henderson, Nevada had been nuked by the Russians.

In the video note the time between the explosion and hearing the explosion and just how loud it was from a camera position many miles away.

scaeagles · 03-30-2006, 04:37 PM

That was amazing.

Ghoulish Delight · 03-30-2006, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

Video of the May 4, 1988 explosion of the PEPCON rocket fuel factory outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. The resulting mushroom cloud momentarily had people thinking that Henderson, Nevada had been nuked by the Russians.

Gotta love the 80s...when they thought the Russions would actually bother to nuke Henderson, NV.

Alex · 03-30-2006, 04:46 PM

Well, it isn't so farfetched to think they might nuke Hoover Dam and miss.

I don't know how many people thought that, that is just the recollection of one of my former coworkers who lived in Vegas at the time and was in school when the building started shaking.

Moonliner · 03-30-2006, 05:23 PM

Yup, people were silly back then. As opposed to today when people think Osama bin Laden is going to attack Dillingham, Alaska.

scaeagles · 04-01-2006, 06:47 AM

It seems as if we are talking about a literal 700 tons of explosives, not explosive yield.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060331/D8GMGPLG8.html

"Plans for a Pentagon-led experiment that involves detonating 700 tons of explosives in the desert drew criticism from state leaders and a disarmament activist."

"The test, named "Divine Strake," will involve nearly 40 times the amount of commercial ammonium nitrate and fuel oil explosive set off in the largest open-air, non-nuclear blast at the site to date. In 2002, 18 tons of explosives were set off at the Nevada Test Site."

03-30-2006, 03:54 PM	#12
€uroMeinke L'Hédoniste Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: A.S.C.O.T. Posts: 8,671	I don't know what was Hiroshima, 15 kilotons? This is but a fraction - I want to see a Real mushroom cloud. __________________ I would believe only in a God that knows how to Dance. Friedrich Nietzsche
	Submit to Quotes

03-30-2006, 03:55 PM	#13
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	Oh, and I just noticed that this is a British report, which leaves some ambiguity. Do they really mean tonne, or did they just "translate" the Amercain defense official's "ton" into "tonne"? An American standard "ton", which can also be called a "short ton" is defined to be exactly 2,000lbs. A "tonne" however, as commonly used in Britain, is a metric ton which is 1,000 kilograms, which is actually about 2,200lbs. So, if they really mean "tonne", then it's actually 770 tons. However it's probably more likely that the reporter didn't know the disctinction, or decided to ignore the relatively insignificant 10% difference and just "translated" ton to tonne and left the 700 alone. (incidentally, a 700 ton bomb would be a 635 tonne bomb) __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
	Submit to Quotes

03-30-2006, 04:21 PM	#15
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Video of the May 4, 1988 explosion of the PEPCON rocket fuel factory outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. The resulting mushroom cloud momentarily had people thinking that Henderson, Nevada had been nuked by the Russians. In the video note the time between the explosion and hearing the explosion and just how loud it was from a camera position many miles away.
	Submit to Quotes

03-30-2006, 04:37 PM	#16
scaeagles I LIKE! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,819	That was amazing.
	Submit to Quotes

03-30-2006, 04:46 PM	#18
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Well, it isn't so farfetched to think they might nuke Hoover Dam and miss. I don't know how many people thought that, that is just the recollection of one of my former coworkers who lived in Vegas at the time and was in school when the building started shaking.
	Submit to Quotes

03-30-2006, 05:23 PM	#19
Moonliner 8/30/14 - Disneyland -10k or Bust. Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 9,022	Yup, people were silly back then. As opposed to today when people think Osama bin Laden is going to attack Dillingham, Alaska. __________________ - Taking it one step at a time.
	Submit to Quotes

04-01-2006, 06:47 AM	#20
scaeagles I LIKE! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,819	It seems as if we are talking about a literal 700 tons of explosives, not explosive yield. http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060331/D8GMGPLG8.html "Plans for a Pentagon-led experiment that involves detonating 700 tons of explosives in the desert drew criticism from state leaders and a disarmament activist." "The test, named "Divine Strake," will involve nearly 40 times the amount of commercial ammonium nitrate and fuel oil explosive set off in the largest open-air, non-nuclear blast at the site to date. In 2002, 18 tons of explosives were set off at the Nevada Test Site."
	Submit to Quotes