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jordzkie05 t1_iue5t8d wrote

How big of a radius would Tsar Bomba would cover to let's say, the state of California?

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tdgros t1_iuedlw7 wrote

you can test it here: https://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/ you can use the actual tested Tsar Bomba at 50MT, or the 100MT one! With that last one set off over San Francisco, there is "moderate blast damage" up to Santa Cruz, so a radius a bit below 60 miles, but you do get 3rd degree burns until 50 miles! So it is very, very far from covering all of California, but still gigantic

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zean_rm t1_iuemohv wrote

I imagine that simulation does not account for topography. The Bay Area is very hilly and I imagine the effect of a detonation would look very different than if executed on a flat plain

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destuctir t1_iueqq4q wrote

If I recall, the Tsar was supposed to be 100MT originally but the scientists intentionally fabricated the calculations to use less material and make it 50MT, the reason being they did math and suspected a 100MT bomb detonated at the intended testing site would ignite the ozone layer and they feared it burning an enormous hole

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tdgros t1_iuerkbf wrote

There are similar stories about the very first atomic bomb test. There was never any real worry though. Do you have a source for this tsar Bomba claim?

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[deleted] t1_iue6meo wrote

[deleted]

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Hizjyayvu t1_iuedfi8 wrote

He means "if we wanted to get rid of all of Cali, what size bomb do we need? Also, follow up question, do we currently have a bomb that big?"

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obscure_greenleaf t1_iueesc8 wrote

Not really, tsar wouldn't obliterate entire California and it was biggest bomb ever (that we know of). There was only one, more were never fully made. There were casings and measures to create more but those were decommissioned and hang in museums now. No, we don't have bomb that big (that we know of)

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DL_22 t1_iuec2r5 wrote

It destroyed buildings in a village 35 miles away and damaged windows in a building 480 miles away but there was no damage at all to structures in a village 170 miles away. You would’ve gotten third-degree burns if you were 75 miles from ground zero.

So you’re probably looking at extensive damage for about a 100 mile radius.

So damage is probably

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obscure_greenleaf t1_iuedzj0 wrote

Bomb had capacity of 50 megatons, after being reduced from 100 megatons capacity. It was detonated from 4km (2.5 miles) above ground from Mityushikha Bay. Mushroom cloud was ~60km (37 miles) in height, and flash was seen from ~1000km (620 miles) of distance. Village 55km (34 miles) from detonation site was "leveled."^[1] Buildings more than 160km (100 miles) away were damaged. Any person within 100km (62 miles) would receive 3rd degree burns. Apparently, it shattered window in Finland at a distance of +800km (500+ miles) away.^[2]

Bomb itself had length of 8m (26ft), diameter of 2m (7ft), and weight of 27t (60k lb).

Distance from San Francisco to Sacramento is ~120km (75 miles). Distance from San Francisco to LA is ~560km (350 miles). If it detonated in San Francisco, buildings in Sacramento would be damaged and people in LA would see the flash.

Sources:

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stelewi t1_iueh1a1 wrote

such an insane amount of energy released

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685327593 t1_iuec39g wrote

It would completely destroy a major city like Los Angeles and cause damage all the way out into the suburbs.

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