Nuking Moon

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, "Andy Goddard"
wrote:
> Tangoman wrote:
>
> > A nuclear explosion is localized. We don't have planet buster
bombs
> > yet. I think you're not fully grasping the scale of the moon.
>
> To bust the Moon would presumably require every chunk of it
attaining lunar
> escape velocity?
>
> Then I'd say 12+ trillion megatons at least. ;-)
>
> Explanation...
>
> Energy = G^3 * SQRT ( M^5 * rho * 4 * pi / 3 )
>
> Energy is for escape velocity for body of mass M and density rho.
G = grav
> constant. Assumption of 4.2e15 J per megaton, SI units throughout,
and a
> spherical body.
>
> Given that the world nuclear arsenal is maybe five thousand
megatons
> (http://www.thebulletin.org/research/qanda/worldarsenals.html) the
Moon is
> quite safe. ;-)
>
> Regards,
>
> Andy G