This quote from Sam Cohen has two possible interpretations that hinge on the meaning of these quotes, "end of organized society" and "killing everyone within about 600 metres of the explosion." The first quote is self explanatory. Examining the last quote, does this mean fireball radius or does it mean radiation radius? If it means radiation radius, then the power of our baseball sized nuclear weapon is a quarter of a kiloton or the equivalent of 250 metric tons of TNT. But, there would be survivors in this radius. So, it does not fit the "kill everybody" criteria.
If it means fireball radius, then the baseball sized nuclear weapon has a 155 kiloton yield. This upper bound yield interpretation is more in line with Cohen's assertion that the baseball sized nuclear weapon could "end organised society," and it would kill everybody in its 600 meter radius. An examination of a implosion fission device analogous to a baseball's cross-section is inline with the conclusion of the upper bound estimate. The "red mercury" in this case is used to drive an implosion of fissile material. It is not driving a fusion reaction.
If it means fireball radius, then the baseball sized nuclear weapon has a 155 kiloton yield. This upper bound yield interpretation is more in line with Cohen's assertion that the baseball sized nuclear weapon could "end organised society," and it would kill everybody in its 600 meter radius. An examination of a implosion fission device analogous to a baseball's cross-section is inline with the conclusion of the upper bound estimate. The "red mercury" in this case is used to drive an implosion of fissile material. It is not driving a fusion reaction.
The baseball (7.6cm diameter) size of the weapon is beneath the detectable threshold of NORAD. In 1985 NORAD reportedly was tracking everything the size of a grapefruit (10 to 15 cm diameter) [1]. Depending on the needed heat shielding for a warhead this would frustrate America's SDI system, making interception in boost phase the priority.
AN EXAMINATION OF
A 'RED MERCURY' IMPLOSION NUCLEAR WEAPON WITH THE DIMENSIONS OF A BASEBALL
- 1 Kilowatt Hour (KWH) of energy is produced by 0.78 Kg of TNT
- 1 Megawatt Day (MWD) = 24,000 kWh.
- Fission of 1.11 g U-235: 1 megawatt-day (thermal)
- The fission of 1.11 g U-235 equals 18.720kt of TNT.
- 1cc of plutonium weighs 19.86 grams. There is approximately 335kt of explosive power in a CC of plutonium.
- The pill of a baseball consists of a sphere, measuring 13/16 of an inch (2.06 centimeters) in diameter
- The volume of a baseball’s pill is V≈4.58cm. Assuming 100% efficiency, a plutonium pill, this size would have 1.5 Megatons of explosive power.
- Assuming a 10% efficiency rating our baseball sized red mercury bomb would have a yield of 153kt.
- This is in keeping with our upper bound assumption of a surface burst nuclear weapon with a 153kt yield and a 600 meter fireball radius.
- Coincidently 150Kt is the estimate that Heinz Pommer came up with in his book THE GROUND ZERO MODEL
- Pommer, H. (2020). The Ground Zero Model (1st ed., p. 78). Jeff Prager.
A SHAPED CHARGE NUCLEAR DEVICE DESIGNED TO PROPEL THE ORION SPACESHIP.
The simultaneous ignition of eight 153-kt baseball sized nuclear weapons would have a yield approaching 8 megatons. A bomb with a 40% fission efficiency is not out of the question. It would give our simultaneous airburst a 32 megaton yield. The small size of the warhead means it can be placed on a MANPADS, RPG or drone.
8 MEGATON AIRBURST OVER LOS ANGELES
32 MEGATON AIRBURST OVER LOS ANGELES
SOURCES:
1. Fisher, James. "NASA FEARS FUTURE FLIGHTS COULD DROWN IN A SEA OF ORBITING JUNK". Chicagotribune.Com, 1985, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-06-09-8502060298-story.html. Accessed 8 Aug 2020.
