How Does a 15.8 Gt Quake Compare to All the World's Nukes?

  • Thread starter ThomasEdison
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In summary, the 8.8 earthquake in Chile was equivalent to about 15.8 gigatons of TNT and would likely be stronger than all of the world's nuclear stockpiles detonating at once. However, the energy is released differently and cannot be directly compared.
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ThomasEdison
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According to Wiki's Richtor Scale the 8.8 quake was equal to a 15.8gigaton explosion.

How does a 15.8 Gt explosion measure up to all the World's nuclear stockpiles detonating at once in one spot?

Stronger or weaker?

Then what about the fact that this quake lasted several minutes. Would each individual tremor of the 8.8 be considered one 15.8 gigaton blast?


When I tried to understand 15.8g as a large pile of TNT, I came up with 43,287 Empire State buildings made out of TNT lined up side by side. It's difficult to imagine a pile of TNT that large detonating. 15.8 gigatons is such a large number for an explosive force.

At least with numbers that big it is not so difficult to imagine an 8.8 changing the rotation of the Earth which quakes this large do.
 
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  • #2
The total energy for the quake was 15.8Gt tnt - it takes quite a lot of energy to move 1000s of cubic km of rock even a small distance, and a lot more energy to compress and deform them.

The US and Russia have reduced their stockpiles to 'only' (!) around 3000 weapons each, say an average 100kT yield = 0.5Gt total. Even at their peak the capacity was nothing like the energy in an earthquake (or a major hurricane)

If you detonated all these weapons 30km underground 80km offshore as in the Chilean quake you probably wouldn't even detect it without special equipement.
 
  • #3




It's important to remember that the Richter Scale measures the magnitude of an earthquake, which is based on the amount of energy released. It does not directly equate to an explosion, as the energy is released in a different way. However, to compare it to a nuclear explosion, the 8.8 earthquake would be equivalent to about 15.8 gigatons of TNT. This is a massive amount of energy, and it can be difficult to comprehend.

In terms of comparing it to all of the world's nuclear stockpiles detonating at once, it would be difficult to say for sure. The energy released from nuclear weapons is measured in kilotons or megatons, so it would depend on the exact amount and type of weapons detonated. However, it's safe to say that the earthquake would likely be stronger, as it lasted for several minutes and released a sustained amount of energy.

As for the individual tremors of the 8.8 earthquake, they would not be considered separate 15.8 gigaton blasts. The energy is released continuously over the course of the earthquake, rather than all at once like an explosion. So while each individual tremor may have a significant amount of energy, it would not be equivalent to a 15.8 gigaton blast.

It's also worth noting that the Richter Scale is not the only way to measure earthquakes. There are other scales, such as the moment magnitude scale, that take into account factors like the length of time of the earthquake and the area affected. So while the 8.8 earthquake may have a magnitude of 15.8 on the Richter Scale, it may have a different measurement on another scale.

Overall, it's important to remember that natural disasters like earthquakes can have a massive impact and release immense amounts of energy. It's difficult for us to fully comprehend these numbers and the devastation they can cause.
 

FAQ: How Does a 15.8 Gt Quake Compare to All the World's Nukes?

What is the likelihood of a massive earthquake destroying all the world's nuclear weapons?

The likelihood of a massive earthquake destroying all the world's nuclear weapons is extremely low. While earthquakes can cause significant damage and destruction, it is highly unlikely that one event would be powerful enough to destroy all of the heavily fortified and protected nuclear weapons in various locations around the world.

Can a quake trigger a nuclear explosion?

No, a quake cannot trigger a nuclear explosion. Nuclear weapons are specifically designed with multiple safety mechanisms to prevent accidental detonation, including seismic sensors that can distinguish between natural earthquakes and human-made explosions.

How much damage could a quake cause to a nuclear facility?

The amount of damage a quake could cause to a nuclear facility depends on several factors, such as the magnitude of the quake, the design and construction of the facility, and its distance from the epicenter. While a strong quake could potentially damage a nuclear facility, these facilities are also built with extensive safety measures and redundancies to withstand natural disasters.

Are there any known instances of earthquakes affecting nuclear weapons?

There have been instances where earthquakes have occurred near nuclear weapons facilities or storage sites, but there are no known cases of earthquakes directly affecting nuclear weapons. In most cases, any damage or malfunctions at these facilities were due to human error or equipment failure, not the earthquake itself.

What would happen if a quake hit a nuclear-armed submarine?

If a quake were to hit a nuclear-armed submarine, it is unlikely that the nuclear weapons on board would be affected. Submarines are designed to withstand high levels of pressure and are constantly moving, making them less vulnerable to the effects of earthquakes on land. Additionally, nuclear weapons on submarines are stored in secure and well-protected compartments, making it unlikely that they would be damaged by a quake.

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