Davy Crockett nuclear artillery piece

 

With respect to the Nimitz class nuclear aircraft carrier sized Mars cycler concept, there can be no doubt about the feasibility. Several main pieces of it have been made before, or are under development now. The Starship could carry up the pieces 200 tons at a time. The Davy Crockett nuclear artillery piece could supply the massive ship with its propulsion to the Red Planet.

 

So I asked the AI to discuss some aspects of the nuclear artillery piece, and here is some of that discussion.

 

One concern is what kind of damage would it do? To something the size of a Nimitz carrier? Not that much. It could be managed, maybe even relatively easily.

 

Without further adieu, here goes the discussion.

 

Questions:

Answers in italics: 

What were the physical dimensions of the Davy Crockett nuclear artillery shell in terms of Mass?

 

The Davy Crockett nuclear artillery shell had the following physical dimensions:

 

* **Length**: Approximately 3.5 inches (8.89 cm) * **Diameter**: Approximately 4.5 inches (11.43 cm) * **Mass**: Approximately 60 pounds (27.2 kg) * **Yield**: 0.01 kilotons (approximately 40 kilotons of TNT equivalent)[note: that had to be corrected because 1% of a kiloton is less than a kiloton, so how do you end up with MORE?]

 

The small size and relatively light weight of the Davy Crockett shell made it a compact and portable nuclear artillery round.

 

What would be the blast radius of a Davy Crockett nuclear artillery shell if detonated and yielded the predicted 0.01 kiloton of TNT equivalent?

 

The blast radius of a Davy Crockett nuclear artillery shell with a yield of 0.01 kilotons (approximately 40 kilotons of TNT equivalent) would be relatively small. Here's an estimate of the blast radius:[Note: it should be 40 tons.  Big difference.]

* **Immediate Blast Radius**: 30-50 meters (100-164 feet), causing severe damage and destruction within this area. * **Partial Damage Radius**: 100-200 meters (330-660 feet), where buildings may collapse and trees may be knocked down. * **Light Damage Radius**: 200-400 meters (660-1,312 feet), where windows may break and vegetation may be scorched.

Keep in mind that these estimates are approximate and can vary depending on the device's yield, the surrounding terrain, and atmospheric conditions.

The small blast radius of the Davy Crockett shell was a deliberate design feature, intended to allow it to be used in urban areas with minimal collateral damage.

What would it take to fully contain the blast radius of a half-kiloton nuclear explosive device?

Fully containing the blast radius of a half-kiloton nuclear explosive device is extremely challenging, if not impossible, due to the intense energy released. However, here are some hypothetical measures that might help to mitigate the blast effects:

1. **Blast doors or barriers**: A thick, reinforced door or barrier, such as a blast door made of steel or reinforced concrete, could potentially contain the blast wave. However, the door would need to be extremely robust and capable of withstanding the intense pressure and heat.

2. **Airlocks or pressure-resistant enclosures**: A sealed airlock or pressure-resistant enclosure could help to contain the blast wave and prevent the release of radioactive materials. However, the enclosure would need to be designed to withstand the extreme pressure and heat generated by the blast.

3. **Water or sand barriers**: A large body of water or a sand barrier could help to dissipate the blast wave and reduce the damage. However, the barrier would need to be massive and strategically placed to be effective.

4. **Geological containment**: In some cases, a nuclear device could be detonated underground, potentially containing the blast effects within a geological formation such as a salt dome or a volcanic rock formation. However, this would require a very specific and controlled environment.

It's essential to note that even with these measures, there would still be significant risks and uncertainties associated with containing the blast radius of a nuclear device. The primary goal of nuclear safety is to prevent the detonation of nuclear devices in the first place.

Would you like me to elaborate on any of these measures?

STOP

Comment:

The dimensions of the cycler are such that the blast could be partly contained so as to maximize its effect, and to extract as much energy as feasible from it. Perhaps a nozzle could be constructed?

The previous discussion was about the size of the yield and the number of bombs. Such a small device would require many 100k bomblets. This seems a lot, but its mass would be less than it would take less than to fill up the superheavy booster one time.

Davy, Davy Crockett. King of the wild frontier!