10-17-2006, 09:24 PM
Another reason for the plutonium bomb. Much easier to blow off. No bullet design needed or complex parts.
All you need is an initiator, some kind of neutron source. A plutonium 239 fissile core. A tamper core reflector made from high grade beryllium, some lenses, a shaped plastic charge, and a working detonator.
Pretty much everything you need can be found in any civil nuclear reactor, a hardware store, and an electronics supply outlet. (And the grocery store) A crude plutonium bomb can be constructed by pretty much anybody with a high school reading level and the ability to follow simple directions and read a blue print. A basic knowledge of electronics is helpful but not required. Basic metalurgy is helpful, but not required.
I personally do not understand the scientific process of how it works, but I am betting that given the materials, I could probably make one. I don't understand how a microwave works, but I know enough to push buttons to have it make my food.
Such a device would be a "dirty bomb." Not a whole lot of bang, but the radiation produced would be fantastic. It is exceptionally crude but infinately doable. The hardest part would be getting the materials, the rest, not so hard. You only need 10 to 15 kg of plutonium to achieve critical mass followed by self sustaining fission reaction. Creating a reflective shell of beryllium to reflect neutrons back in to the fission process would be difficult, but shouldn't be to hard. Heck, I think about 5kg of plutonium would produce a 20 kiloton explosion but that appears to be in perfect laboratory conditions with perfect manufacturing and hardware. You'd need a larger chunk with such crude methods.
Such a bomb would be a terrible thing. Ground zero of said device would remain radioactive longer than I can figure, so I wont even venture a guess. Human beings would not be able to live there for a very long time. Damage to the atmosphere... I have no clue, but it would be bad. Very bad. Such a dirty weapon would have profound effects for generations to come. Makes you glad they blew it off underground.
I am not sure how much actual physical damage it would do. That, I do not know. But the long term environmental effects of such a weapon I believe are far worse than the actual explosion.
Scary stuff.
All you need is an initiator, some kind of neutron source. A plutonium 239 fissile core. A tamper core reflector made from high grade beryllium, some lenses, a shaped plastic charge, and a working detonator.
Pretty much everything you need can be found in any civil nuclear reactor, a hardware store, and an electronics supply outlet. (And the grocery store) A crude plutonium bomb can be constructed by pretty much anybody with a high school reading level and the ability to follow simple directions and read a blue print. A basic knowledge of electronics is helpful but not required. Basic metalurgy is helpful, but not required.
I personally do not understand the scientific process of how it works, but I am betting that given the materials, I could probably make one. I don't understand how a microwave works, but I know enough to push buttons to have it make my food.
Such a device would be a "dirty bomb." Not a whole lot of bang, but the radiation produced would be fantastic. It is exceptionally crude but infinately doable. The hardest part would be getting the materials, the rest, not so hard. You only need 10 to 15 kg of plutonium to achieve critical mass followed by self sustaining fission reaction. Creating a reflective shell of beryllium to reflect neutrons back in to the fission process would be difficult, but shouldn't be to hard. Heck, I think about 5kg of plutonium would produce a 20 kiloton explosion but that appears to be in perfect laboratory conditions with perfect manufacturing and hardware. You'd need a larger chunk with such crude methods.
Such a bomb would be a terrible thing. Ground zero of said device would remain radioactive longer than I can figure, so I wont even venture a guess. Human beings would not be able to live there for a very long time. Damage to the atmosphere... I have no clue, but it would be bad. Very bad. Such a dirty weapon would have profound effects for generations to come. Makes you glad they blew it off underground.
I am not sure how much actual physical damage it would do. That, I do not know. But the long term environmental effects of such a weapon I believe are far worse than the actual explosion.
Scary stuff.
All alone, or in twos,
The ones who really love you
Walk up and down outside the wall.
Some hand in hand
And some gathered together in bands.
The bleeding hearts and artists
Make their stand.
And when they've given you their all
Some stagger and fall, after all it's not easy
Banging your heart against some mad buggers wall.
"Isn't this where...."
The ones who really love you
Walk up and down outside the wall.
Some hand in hand
And some gathered together in bands.
The bleeding hearts and artists
Make their stand.
And when they've given you their all
Some stagger and fall, after all it's not easy
Banging your heart against some mad buggers wall.
"Isn't this where...."