All articles tagged with #nuclear detonation
Chinese researchers propose using a nuclear blast to destroy or rapidly deflect a large asteroid by carving a crater and detonating a warhead inside; their models favor a pre-excavation detonation for deep energy transfer, potentially making this approach more effective than surface-only hits for rocks around 100 meters in size and offering two defense modes: direct-impact detonation and pre-excavation detonation.
The eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano in Tonga last year was likely comprised of five blasts, with the last one releasing energy equivalent to about 15 megatonnes of TNT, making it comparable in magnitude to the most powerful nuclear detonation by the US. The event involved both eruptions and explosions of steam, which caused sonic booms and a related tsunami. The tsunami was not as deadly as expected due to the location of the main settlements in Tonga, which safely faced Nuku’alofa Lagoon, and the closure of tourist resorts because of Covid.