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The estimates being thrown around is that the larger explosion was equivalent to 21 tons of TNT. Does that seem low to anyone?

by jostmey 11y ago

trhway 11y ago
The explosion seems to be in the air so seismic shock - basis for 21 tons TNT - is lower than would be oversize. I think - based on the blast wave in the video at 7 seconds sound travel distance - it is several hundred tons TNT, 200-500.
- toufka 11y ago
  Yep - it was many hundreds of tons. Based on comparing with other records, I'd wager both explosions together likely approached a kiloton of TNT. One of the larger (possibly?) non-military explosions ever. Compared with this video for 100 tons of TNT [1], the explosion in Tianjin was a few times larger. And there were two explosions, with the second being significantly larger. Also, compare with other explosions on this list [2]. The AZF explosion [3] was listed at 20-40 tons of TNT. The Tianjin explosion was far larger. ~20 tons of TNT worth of energy was converted into a seismic wave - the rest (the majority) of the energy was dispersed above ground. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgLzgdbfeJE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgLzgdbfeJE [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest_artificial_non-nuclear_explosions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest_artificial_non-nuclear... [3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_jodgDNG0o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_jodgDNG0o
  - trhway 11y ago
    yes. Similar situation to Tianjin - about 200 tons explosion at 7 seconds sound distance (0:35 explosion and 0:42 sound wave) The blast wave in Tianjin video seems to be somewhat stronger. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32RCWk5ez34 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32RCWk5ez34
  - r721 11y ago
    It also should be noted that "21 tons" is an estimate by China Earthquake Networks Centre [1], so it can be deliberately understated. [1] http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/12/china-explosion-earthquake-recording-instruments-beijing http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/12/china-explosion...
- jostmey 11y ago
  According to a wikipedia article, the force of the explosion can be estimated by the height of the mushroom cloud.
deleted 11y ago
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smackfu 11y ago
I think nuclear weapons have made us a bit jaded about quantities of TNT, with talk of kilotons and megatons. But a ton of TNT is still a LOT of explosive. A single stick of TNT blows stuff up good.
systoll 11y ago
The number seems very low, but I believe that estimate has been misinterpreted by english sources. The figure comes from a Chinese Earthquake monitoring organisation, and it seems to say that the energy of the earthquake was equivalent to 21 tons of TNT. The bulk of the energy in the explosion would've dissipated through the air, and wouldn't be involved in the earthquake at all.

The estimates being thrown around is that the larger explosion was equivalent to 21 tons of TNT. Does that seem low to anyone?

by jostmey 11y ago

The estimates being thrown around is that the larger explosion was equivalent to 21 tons of TNT. Does that seem low to anyone?

trhway 11y ago

The explosion seems to be in the air so seismic shock - basis for 21 tons TNT - is lower than would be oversize. I think - based on the blast wave in the video at 7 seconds sound travel distance - it is several hundred tons TNT, 200-500.

toufka 11y ago
Yep - it was many hundreds of tons. Based on comparing with other records, I'd wager both explosions together likely approached a kiloton of TNT. One of the larger (possibly?) non-military explosions ever. Compared with this video for 100 tons of TNT [1], the explosion in Tianjin was a few times larger. And there were two explosions, with the second being significantly larger. Also, compare with other explosions on this list [2]. The AZF explosion [3] was listed at 20-40 tons of TNT. The Tianjin explosion was far larger. ~20 tons of TNT worth of energy was converted into a seismic wave - the rest (the majority) of the energy was dispersed above ground. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgLzgdbfeJE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgLzgdbfeJE [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest_artificial_non-nuclear_explosions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest_artificial_non-nuclear... [3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_jodgDNG0o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_jodgDNG0o
- trhway 11y ago
  yes. Similar situation to Tianjin - about 200 tons explosion at 7 seconds sound distance (0:35 explosion and 0:42 sound wave) The blast wave in Tianjin video seems to be somewhat stronger. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32RCWk5ez34 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32RCWk5ez34
- r721 11y ago
  It also should be noted that "21 tons" is an estimate by China Earthquake Networks Centre [1], so it can be deliberately understated. [1] http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/12/china-explosion-earthquake-recording-instruments-beijing http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/12/china-explosion...
jostmey 11y ago
According to a wikipedia article, the force of the explosion can be estimated by the height of the mushroom cloud.

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

smackfu 11y ago

I think nuclear weapons have made us a bit jaded about quantities of TNT, with talk of kilotons and megatons. But a ton of TNT is still a LOT of explosive. A single stick of TNT blows stuff up good.

systoll 11y ago

The number seems very low, but I believe that estimate has been misinterpreted by english sources. The figure comes from a Chinese Earthquake monitoring organisation, and it seems to say that the energy of the earthquake was equivalent to 21 tons of TNT. The bulk of the energy in the explosion would've dissipated through the air, and wouldn't be involved in the earthquake at all.