The scenario is that NK uses a pilotless executive jet or airliner to deliver a 15 KT nuke over somewhere - maybe the US fleet, maybe a city - at the standard cruising altitude of 30,000 feet (~10,000 metres).
What happens to whoever and whatever is below when the nuke is detonated? I’m aware that 30,000 feet isn’t the optimum detonation altitude unless you’re over seriously high terrain, but how sub-optimum is it?
(Split from this thread.)
According to this, little damage.
ETA: you can play with the airburst height in the advanced options.
From nukemap
Effects radii for 15 kiloton airburst* (smallest to largest): ▼
Fireball radius: 590 ft (0.04 mi²)
Maximum size of the nuclear fireball; relevance to lived effects depends on height of detonation. If it touches the ground, the amount of radioactive fallout is significantly increased. Minimum burst height for negligible fallout: 530 ft.
*Detonation altitude: 30,000 ft.
The following errors were encountered trying to implement these settings:
The blast pressure equation for 20 psi failed to give a result for the given yield and height settings. The maximum detonation height for this effect to be felt on the ground is 2,280 ft.
The blast pressure equation for 5 psi failed to give a result for the given yield and height settings. The maximum detonation height for this effect to be felt on the ground is 0.87 mi.
The initial nuclear radiation equation for 500 rem failed to give a result for the given yield and height settings. The maximum detonation height for this effect to be felt on the ground is 0.83 mi.
Thermal radiation (3rd degree burns) equation failed to give a result for the given yield and height. The maximum detonation height for this effect to be felt on the ground is 1.24 mi.
So, there would be a pretty light show, but not much damage.
Indeed. I just detonated Tsar Bomba over DC at 30,000 feet and only killed 500 people.
Which 500 though? The clowns in congress?
I find that hard to believe.
My understanding is that bad boy would cause fires over 50 miles away.
Would it cause a damaging EMP?
I might have screwed it up. It was my first time, I should have practised with something smaller.
ETA: yup, I just tried again and got 2 million.
Everyone should have a hobby…
No. High altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) is due to highly energetic X-rays from the device striking the upper stratosphere, ejecting electrons over a wide area which creates a semi-coherent radio spectrum pulse which produced voltage overloads sensitive electronic equipment. (There are actually three components to HEMP but this E1 component is what destroys radios and other electronics.) At 30 kft atmospheric density is about 1/3 of what it is at mean sea level but there is still enough air to absorb most of the X-rays producing a fireball but only low levels of electromagnetic radiation.
Realize that much of the damage from a nuclear blast comes from two phenomena: the thermal pulse which burns things, and the overpressure shockwave which is the product of superheated air rapidly expanding and compressing the air in front of it. A third effect, the afterwinds, are produced by the evacuation of heated air (Rayleigh–Taylor instability) producing a suction toward the blast site and sucking material from the ground if it is close enough, producing and spreading radioactive debris. At high altitude, these effects are ameliorated by the distance between the blast and ground and the intervening protection of atmosphere. This should not be surprising because this is the same atmosphere that protects us at ground level against the intense ultraviolet heating from our sun, and also from meteorite impacts. The former Safeguard ABM system used LIM-49A Spartan interceptors with a 5 MT warhead intended to intercept at exoatmospheric altitudes and would generate EMP but essentially no surface effects other than a brief visible flash.
A burst high enough to create minimal ground effects but low enough to not excite the upper stratosphere is of little consequence other than the small amount of radioactive debris produced by its now vaporized casing. For a small yield device intended primary for terroristic purposes (rather than a strategic disabling strike or an area denial weapon) a near ground burst that produces as much radioactive debris (fallout) would be the optimal use. If North Korea were actually to attempt to do this to the United States or its allies…it would not go well for anyone, but especially for anyone in Pyongyang.
Stranger
Keep practicing, you’ll get them all eventually …
By comparison, a full 100 Megaton airburst over parts of Montana will kill up to…80 people.
Hell, and the same bomb over parts of Nevada will kill upwards of…10. Or even 30.
The highest casualties I could get was just over 14 million in Tokyo, Japan
Can anyone else do better ?
Dude, insensitive much?
Stranger
Oh very insensitive.
[Insensitive]
The highest total I got was Tsar Bomb at full design yield (100 MT) against some city called Bombs Away or Bum Bay:D something or the other; 16,709,120 dead.
Mexico City, I got just over 20 million dead and injured. (11/9)
New Delhi, India-25 million d&i. (13/12)
Correction, it was 14 million dead and 14.5 million casualties for a total of 28.5 million
More than Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, or Mexico City.
I have tried all the major population centers that I can think of and Tokyo is the king of what I can see.
On the other hand detonating it in parts of the Sahara desert or in Northern Canada gives 0 casualties.
Probably the same in parts of Alaska, Siberia, Australia, or many parts of the oceans
Heh. I’d completely missed that you could set the altitude there.
Tokyo
17,245,260 dead. I set the altitude to get max effect of the 20 psi overpressure.
Don’t forget that a similar test was already done.