Massive Explosion Reported at Iran's Fordow Nuclear Facility [plus TXnMA Photo Analysis]

Business Insider Military and Defense ^ | Jan. 28, 2013, 7:03 AM | Robert Johnson

[TXnMA]

Reports of an explosion at Iran's Fordow nuclear facility have surfaced and are being both confirmed and denied by multiple sources.

The Jerusalem Post cites a report by Reza Kahlili that says: “The blast shook facilities within a radius of three miles. Security forces have enforced a no-traffic radius of 15 miles, and the Tehran- Qom highway was shut down for several hours after the blast.” Kahlili's report says the Fordow nuclear facility was severely damaged in an explosion and up to 240 workers trapped inside. The explosion was reportedly confined to the plant, suggesting that if it were an airstrike, it was highly localized. But this possibility is no more or less likely than sabotage, or an accident, assuming the explosion occurred at all.

>SNIP<

Iran's official news agency, says the same thing, with the IRNA, promptly denying the explosion, claiming the news was simply the result of the Western media-fueled "propoganda machine." That might have ended the story there, but The Times of London's Israel correspondent Sheera Frenkel is confirming the incident through her own independent sources: An explosion is believed to have damaged Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility, which is being used to enrich uranium, Israeli intelligence officials have told The Times. Sources in Tel Aviv said yesterday that they thought the explosion happened last week. The Israeli Government is investigating reports that it led to extensive structural damage and 200 workers had been trapped inside. One Israeli official said: “We are still in the preliminary stages of understanding what happened and how significant it is.” He did not know, he added, if the explosion was “sabotage or accident”, and refused to comment on reports that Israeli aircraft were seen near the facility at the time of the explosion.

[grey_whiskers]

HF being a calcium seeker will turn their bones into rubber and slurry the rest.

That's what I meant: a hell of an awful way to go.

[TXnMA]

Yeah -- I know I "went a bridge too far" with edge sharpening and "unsharp mask" on my "cruise missile view" photo in my #120, but, WTH ...I was just goofing around anyway... '-)

[TXnMA]

Yep,I spent most of my civilian career in semiconductor processing, and I once inadvertantly put my elbow down on a surface that had a drop of HF on it. I did rinse it off as soon as I realized it was there -- and...

Spending an hour with your elbow in a bucket of ice is no fun -- but it sure beats the possible alternative!

[TXnMA]

STD: After you read my #120, (and the rest of this thread) I believe you owe me a FReepMail...

[TXnMA]

STD, #124 was meant to be addressed to you...

[TXnMA]

If there is anyone else you feel should be pinged to my #120, please do so.

Thanks,

TnMA

[Marine_Uncle]

I viewed some of the postings that you contributed in. What I found apparent is the Google Maps/Google Earth images you worked with did not represent the date the alleged attack on said facility took place. They where at best month old plus.
Including Google Earth sat images from back in 2011.
I simply held quiet on that point. I thought that perhaps you had access to current sat photos of that site, within say the period just prior to the alleged attack took place and perhaps days or even hours afterward, and somehow superimposed them upon what we find at the Google site, that we can all view in various time frames.
In short. I did not want to hamper any work being done by you or perhaps others, that could elicit a confirmation that indeed this facility was indeed breached.
To date, it appears there has been no confirmation by the body of world news agencies that the attack on this site happened as reported by some.
Is the world news agencies sitting on this issue, perhaps awaiting some further solid information to surface.

Are they all awaiting on some news from reliable sources?
Who knows. I don't.
Thank you for your service to your country in the form of military service. And do continue to enjoy those blessings HE has bestowed upon you at present, and perhaps in the future.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Very, very interesting....

Hmmm.....sure looked good to me.....but i know nuthing about this imaging stuff.

So who might have done the doctoring of the photos...?

Guess that would be a good question.

See post #120.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Post their reply when and if you get one.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

See the updates,...by TXnMA

[TXnMA]

I use Google Earth all the time (for purposes explained in #120), and am painfully aware of that failing for real-time surveillance. In fact, the "before" image I used is date stamped 12SEP2011.

News sources, however, can pay to get current overflight photos -- and that is precisely why my analysis focused on the (undated) [and doctored, it turns out] photo from Business Insider's report on the "explosion".

All I could do was examine it to see if the appearance looked plausible -- then do detailed tests to determine if there was evidence of fakery. I was able to replicate the "damage" effect using "Photoshop tricks" -- and then to find those same "giveaway clues" in the BI image.

Thank you for following my work, and for your restraint in "keeping me honest". That's all we can do: be honest with -- and thoughtful of -- each other.

Unfortunately, too many FReepers nowadays have the attention spans of toddlers with ADHD, and once I showed that I could see no "blood in the water", bailed out of the discussion for other "news". Worse, many desperately wanted bad news out of Iran, and when I didn't "produce" what they wanted, apparently dismissed my analysis as "biased", and left in disgust. And that includes one long-time FReeper who should know better -- and shall remain unnamed... :-(

~~~~~~~~~

Oh, well, during this exercise, I learned far more than I revealed about ways to use Google Earth for intelligence gathering -- and am now building a KML file database on all reported Iranian nuke sites -- "placemarking" features like tunnel entrances, ventilation shafts, utility entry points, defense structures, etc. So -- when they do get "put out of business", I will know what to look for -- and have a "time zero image base" to work from -- IF post-strike photos become available.

Again, thank you for your courtesy and honesty!

[bert]

Well, you have joined the ranks of several dedicated FReepers who over the years took upon themselves a task of ultimate service to the forum.

I thank you for your service and now feel confident of the real poop on events at Iranian nuclear sites.

[TXnMA]

Roger, WILCO. (But, I’m not holding my breath...)

[TXnMA]

Actually, unless has personal meaning for you, you lack access to the best data...

[TXnMA]

...as do we all...

[TXnMA]

Thank you, (more than you realize) FRiend... :-)

[OKSooner]

Yes, that’s what a sane president would say about it.

[UCANSEE2]

Well... I guess that shows I’m down to about 3 operating brain cells.

You are correct, and I THANK YOU for catching what was such an obvious mistake. (I’ll probably be putting 2012 on my checks as well for a while)

SO now, we have an actual ‘fact’ to support the ‘claim’ there was an explosion. Again, THANKS.

[UCANSEE2]

All I can tell you is that Jay Carney wasn’t lying.

All I can tell you is that apparently, I haven't caught on to the fact that this is 2013, not 2012.

PJ-Comix noted that my data was from 2012, not 2013.

The data for 2013 shows seismic activity , that day, in that location.