Question: What is the impact of under ground nuclear detonation on tehtonic plates?

Asked by florian to Alice, Andi, Bas, Daniel, Rhian on 13 Mar 2015.

0

  1. Photo: Daniel Pastor-GalánDaniel Pastor-Galán
    answered on 13 Mar 2015:

    Hi florian,

    Have you seen the film “The core” ? Well, do not believe a single word of the plot. The energy of a nuclear bomb is peanuts compare to the Earth. For instance the energy of the Hiroshima nuclear bomb is equivalent to an Earthqauke of 6.0 in the Ritcher scale. The most powerful bomb ever created is equivalent to the energy disipated by an 8.35 earthquake (a lot, true, but really nothing compare to the possibilities of the Earth). If you detonate a lot of this bombs in the underground, well, you will create several Earthquakes. That’s all.

    0

  2. Photo: Rhian MearaRhian Meara
    answered on 18 Mar 2015:

    good question florian!

    i think it wold depend on what size of nuclear detonation and on which tectonic plates and where they were. generally, i suspect that they wouldnt have a big impact at all, but maybe if you had a bomb big enough and in a really weak spot of a plate boundary?? maybe then you could cause a natural hazard of some description?? i don;t think we should try to find out though….! 🙂

    0

Comments