Chinese scientist claims this could cause a disaster...
Let’s give ‘em a hand.
Well that’s a shame. Would probably leak radiation into China. Maybe they should do something?
With all the pollution in China they’ll never notice a little radiation
What’s it going to collapse in to?
May be of interest.
Well maybe you should have nipped this problem in the bud China. Like twenty years ago.
Hey China. You raised the insane pit bull. It’s up to you to put it out of our misery.
I wonder if the Soviets were as smart as the Chinese in letting theiron close allies be nuclear armed or testing their own nuclear weapons near their own borders.
““We call it ‘taking the roof off.’ If the mountain collapses and the hole is exposed, it will let out many bad things.” Wang told the South China Morning Post.”
This could be broadened to refer to Fat Boy’s government as well of the mountains.
China has enabled NK to be crazy for 60 years. They own the trouble it brings.
That’s a shocker. What did the Environmental Impact Study say?
I assumed the NORKS have their own versions of the EPA and NRC.
Voila..... there we have it. Justification
China has contrived justification for actions. Like Climate Change, the mountain destruction radiation release thoughts do not have to be true, they merely have to be publicized.
Well China has had my lifetime to take care of NK. Maybe if they have to breathe a little nuke dust they will step up.
China will just issue surgical masks to stop the alpha, beta & gamma radiation.
Ping
ONE MORE BIG TEST!!! They Chinese will have been repaid for their assistance to PRNK and the help they rendered in stopping Un.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
Hank Johnson fears if this mountain collapses, Korea may tip over.
Good post.
Here is an excellent (unclassified) report used by the CIA to determine yield:
http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a223490.pdf
The claims by the Norks are highly suspect as the depth of the blast and the rock density are unknown. That’s why it’s called a heavily censored explosive yield.
I have seen the sniffing reports done by the Chinese and no radioactive markers have been released so far that are beyond background radiation.
If, if the 6.3 magnitude holds and that is unlikely, there is an absolute upper yield of around 600 kilotons. Looks like the magnitude will probably settle in at 5.9 so the upper theoretical yield would be no more than about 370 kilotons.
Guessing at the depth of the blast is difficult. Given that the blast cavern has already likely collapsed, with no surface emission the depth was likely at least 300 meters.
The rock density is fairly soft in that area allowing manual mining historically. So, the blast yield would likely be in the 110 to 160 kiloton range.
That is still a significant improvement for the Norks.
Boosted fission is very likely. The Nork’s main problem is acquiring refined beryllium. They have the ore but lack the very tricky refining technology. Even the Chinese have to buy it.
Without a significant beryllium neutron reflector, air blasts would be very inefficient compared to an underground test.