The NK Nuke that Wasn't - WTF?

[bogeyman]

God know who's spinning this tulipe but on R4 news this morning "claims" from some unnamed source are being made that the North Korean nuke didn't detonate, and that it was just the conventional explosive detonation charges that went off.

There are, at most a few pounds of conventional explosives in a nuclear bomb. Enough to cause an earthquake measuring 4 on the Richter scale? Do me a favour!

I suppose they could have faked it with a truly massive amount of TNT

Thing is, who's spinning this - and why?

[The Master]

I suppose they could have faked it with a truly massive amount of TNT

I'm told about 1000 tonnes of TNT would be enough to fake a small atomic explosion.

[Mailman]

It was 3.7, not 4...which apparently is a huge difference.

But there seems to be something happening here. There are a few reports online that all it would take would be something in the region of 500 tons of explosives, and given the NKers have already pulled a stunt like this before its possible they have done it again

Then again, its possible they got it right too!

Mailman

[The Master]

It was 3.7, not 4...which apparently is a huge difference.

Yes, it is a logarithmic scale.

[AtW]

Seems like their bomb failed, but they had backup in form of normal explosives.

Does not change one simple fact - North Korea is by far more dangerous than Iraq of 2003.

[wendigo100]

Yes, it is a logarithmic scale.

3.7 is about half the size of 4.0 on the Richter scale isn't it?

[The Master]

Just looked it up. Here are the TNT equivalents for various richter numbers

3.0 29 tons
3.5 73 tons
4.0 1,000 tons

[The Master]

And there was a munitions ship that blew up with 5000 tons aboard, in Halifax, Nova Scotia during WWI or WWII.

I used to work with someone whose dad was there. Most impressive apparently. Still the world's largest non-nuclear explosion.

[malvolio]

I'm no expert but I seem to recall that there are two components needed to make a big bang in a nuclear bomb, and if the second one (Tritium?? It injects a stream of particles that catlyse the reaction. Or something) doesn't arrive at the precise moment you get a slow fission as opposed to a fast one. Still makes a damn big bang, but a lot less than what you were hoping for.

[Troll]

Whats really going on...

China is using it's proxy agent North Korea to divert world attention, knowing the US must respond, it is hoping to provoke the US into direct military action.

The US cannot operate in more than 2 theatres of war at once,and that the current Iraqi & possibility of a future Iranian situation which may require a response will keep US forces occupied in the short term; all of which would leave China free to carry out it's long plan to seize Taiwan unopposed

... and the Lizard people are slowly taking over the world

.you heard it here first!!