Detecting Nuclear Detonations

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While the mass use of strategic nuclear weapons is the ultimate terror of modern warfare, it represents the final stage of conflict escalation on the world stage. A more immediate threat comes from tactical nuclear weapons. Tactical nuclear weapons are generally considered low yield, short-ranged weapons designed for the use at the theater-level, alongside conventional forces. Both the US and Russia define a tactical nuclear weapon by it’s operational range.
Their battlefield centric missions and perception as being less destructive encourage their forward-basing and can make the decision to use tactical nuclear weapons psychologically and operationally easier, potentially pushing a conflict into the realm of strategic nuclear escalation. Surveillance systems designed to detect these detonations must home in on the telling characteristics of a nuclear weapon.
BHANGMETER
As the very first nuclear weapon detonated, it was observed by both cameras and other optical instrumentation, that a peculiar double-peaked illumination curve of light was emitted from the bomb. It was soon determined from analyzing the fireball expansion phenomenon of the detonation, that two -millisecond range peaks of light were separated by a period of minimum intensity lasting from a fraction of a second to a few seconds, that corresponded to an atmospheric shockwave break away from the expanding front of the fireball. It took for the shockwave front to transition from opaque to transparent was directly correlated to the weapons yield.
FIRST METERS
In 1948, during the third series of American nuclear testing, called Operation Sandstone, the first purpose-built proof-of-concept device for specifically detecting nuclear detonations would be tested. While this device was simple and devised on site, it provided a measurement of light intensity over time using a photocell coupled to a cheap oscilloscope. During a meeting with the project group, Reines would coin the term Bhangmeter for the device.
A calibration curve was developed from the average of these measurement devices and the testing weapon’s yield. From this data, the bhangmeter was able to optically determine a nuclear weapon’s yield to within 15%. Though blue light was used to produce this initial calibration data due to its higher contrast within the detonation, it was soon discovered that changing the observed spectrum of visible light also modified the amount of time it took for the light intently to start its initial drop off. During further tests it was also realized that the altitude of a bomb’s detonation could also be determined from analyzing the time-to-minimum light intensity as the duration of the initial fireball expansion was largely influenced by the effect the ground had on its shape.
ADOPTION
These aviation compatible, AC powered systems were specifically designed and deployed to monitor the Soviet test of Tsar Bomba, the largest nuclear weapon ever detonated. Around the same time, the first large scale nuclear detonation network would be deployed by the US and the UK. Linked by Western Union’s telegraph and telephone lines, the system was designed to report the confirmation of a nuclear double-flash before the sensors were destroyed by the detonation. The Bomb Alarm Display System was in use from 1961 to 1967 and while it offered adequate surveillance for the onset of nuclear war, the emergence of the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963 now warranted the ability to monitor atmospheric nuclear testing at the global level.
SATELITES
The solution to the challenge of this new scope of nuclear detection came with Project Vela, a group of satellites developed specifically for monitoring test ban compliance. They could determine the location of a nuclear explosion to within about 3,000 miles, exceeding the positional and yield accuracy of the original system.
GPS
As the Vela program was being phased out in the mid 1980s, the task of specifically detecting nuclear detonations would become a part of the new global position system. Known as the GPS Nuclear Detonation Detection System, this capability took advantage of the extensive coverage of earth's surface offered by the constellation.
These bursts propagate from a nuclear detonation in a spherical shell and by measuring their intensity against the accurate timing information of 4 or more satellites of the GPS constellation, these time differences of arrival can be used to calculate the position of the x-ray burst source. Each of the GPS satellites are equipped with a specialized antenna and support system to both detect and measure these EMP incidences. The Bhangmeters that complement the other sensors on the GPS constellation are the most sophisticated satellite based system to date.
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[@NewMind]

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[@anzetal9586]

I finally pulled the trigger on a nebula subscription but I couldn’t find you there :(

[@falaicha]

It's Vaang not Bang

[@inothome]

Another great video. For years now, I can't figure out why the YT algorithm doesn't push your content more. Much more deserving of subscribers and video views.

[@whirledpeas3477]

Because yt and all liberals want their flock to think that the world is all rainbows and butterflies 🦋

[@silverXnoise]

Well, despite the clearly idiotic and laughable theory that there is some liberal conspiracy that the joker above me has asserted, the reality is that KZbin’s algorithm puts a disturbing amount of weight on ritual animal sacrifice. So, the popular KZbin channels you might know would never admit as much, but a large portion of their KZbin revenue gets spent on goats 🐐 and other livestock so that they can hold these carefully choreographed rituals where they slaughter the animals on an industrial level, while placing their hearts, kidneys, pancreas, and other organs on a glowing silver Play buttons to burn 🔥 in honor of Pewdiepie (a decidedly non-liberal person and streaming demigod).

[@willys4869]

The YT algorithm definitely minimizes exposure to educational content.

[@j121212100]

A lot of great channels get stuck at roughly 370K subs for some reason. Obviously controlled by the YT algorithm.

[@noahgeerdink5144]

@@whirledpeas3477 he should replace the word nuclear with butterflies and explosions/detonations with rainbows

[@rowannadon7668]

yo i actually worked on the software at Los Alamos that does simulation of all these parameters from a nuke, we now make use of optical, neutron, x ray, gamma ray, and radio sensors on satellites to geolocate a clandestine detonation. The exact sensors that are on some of the satellites are classified

[@creator4413]

P

[@mwanikimwaniki6801]

Curious. Do you defense dudes still use ADA?

[@rowannadon7668]

@@mwanikimwaniki6801 probably for some things, not sure though our project is C++

[@mwanikimwaniki6801]

@@rowannadon7668 Hmmmm. I wanna get into defense. So C++ and other C variants would be good?

[@JarrettWilliams99]

Wouldn't you be NDA'd ?

[@kieranhosty]

KZbin should push your videos so much more, well done on another brilliant video NM!

[@nick4819]

The footage at 7:30 I have played over and over and over...I've never seen such a zoomed in high quality video of this detonation. It's fascinating watching the fireball extended down the wires(I read somewhere that's what the big spikes poking out of the ball are) and smashing into the ground. I would give anything to be able to stand there, at this time speed, and not be harmed, just watch everything unfolding. Crazy looking stuff man.

[@chilebike6556]

Yes, that is an impressive sequence.

[@iitzfizz]

yes it's the guy wires for the tower being vaporised

[@Atomchild]

This is the 1st video of yours that I have seen. I am instantly sold.. The quality of your work is up there with channels such as deep dive et al. This subject is of particular interest to me, as my artist name, Atomchild is borne of the epiphanies and inspirations encountered in the research of atomic explosives, and particle physics. Any in depth information is like gold to me. Mad props!

[@sasqetshenkley1190]

This is thee *only* explanation for the double flash anywhere outside the DOE's classified files, I swear. Nearly documentary parrots the 'double flash detection' but *none of them* go into the phenomenon. At all. Ever... Because they don't know either. So... Thanks for doubly illuminating the double flash thing for me. Fricken finally! 👍🏼 💥 💥

[@peterakpevwe5868]

Thank you for yet another awesome video! This is one channel I desperately look forward to seeing in my notifications. Excellent narration and visuals! Thank you!

[@pjacobsen1000]

I love these deep dive explanatory videos you make. Great job!

[@avrahambrea1919]

Interesting you didn't mention the VELA double flash incident.

[@pilgrimm23]

I noticed that too. Perhaps the best confirmation of the efficacy of the Bhangmeter? mostly hushed up for diplomatic reasons..

[@SpinStar1956]

Question: Do you know the name of the detonation at 7:30? That looks horrifying! Thanks for making this video and giving such a great explanation.

[@jaymanier7286]

I was thinking the same! Intense!

[@ADDMEONPSN]

Its either Ivy mike or Castle Bravo.

[@hotgluegunguy]

@@ADDMEONPSN It's neither. Both Castle Bravo and Ivy Mike were detonated on the ground. I think this is a smaller fission-only bomb. Wouldn't be able to tell you which one though.

[@viaexcellence]

Hydrogen bomb?

[@SpinStar1956]

@@viaexcellence You know, I think you’re correct. After seeing your response, I looked it up. I then read where a hydrogen bomb gets up to 100,000,000°C! That to me would explain the appearance. Thanks! 😀

[@hullinstruments]

3:17 Don’t make an immature joke… Don’t make an immature joke… Don’t make an immature joke. I am an adult. I am a professional adult!! But I’ll be damned if I don’t want to!

[@thek3317]

fantastic video. Love all the pictures they really add to the the enjoyment. :)

[@samsonsoturian6013]

The weird thing about nukes is yield, weight, and costs are in no way correlated.

[@ravener96]

I mean, if you want a small nuke, your yield will be limited, so size/weight and yield is somewhat related

[@debrainwasher]

Not exactly, since any nuclear detonation requires a minimum mass of a weapons grade fissible isotope (typically Pu-239), that becomes critical under compression and an external pulsed neutron-source. Yield of a single-stage nuclear warhead can not be scaled up arbitrarily, since a too large weapons core would explode without contribution to the yield. Therefore, any weapon, larger than about 30…50 kt has to be designed for practical reasons as a two-stage system, consisting of a fissile ignition stage and a D-T-fusion stage, that converts LiD (lithium-deuteride) by an in-situ neutronic transmutation-reaction into tritium and deuterium. Such warheads can reach yields up to the high Mt-range. So called DAY-nukes (Dial-A-Yield) introduce slight variations in the ignition-timing of the slapper-detonator-array around the weapon-core in a precise manner. Consequently, such explosive devices can provide a selectable calibre between 0.5 kt up to 100 kt.

[@lucasjames8281]

@@debrainwasher bruh someone better be paying you for your knowledge. Are you a nuclear physicist or something ?

[@debrainwasher]

@@lucasjames8281 I am a graduated electronics engineer with further education in Laser-physics and nuclear engineering.

[@clemenceronald]

Bang meter.....can be very interesting for other applications

[@cosmicpuma1409]

What an amazingly interesting vid ! Thanks so much, awesome work and really appreciated😃

[@tonymax6632]

Excellent video. Well written and narrated. Thanks

[@hipithautaa]

Good job. You're videos are very high guality.

[@scottfranco1962]

There was an incident last century where they detected what the USA believed was a nuclear explosion in Africa. Nothing further came of that. Anyone know what happened there?

[@PemboCycling]

Israel I think was the suspect on that one

[@richardservatius5405]

not all nations signed the nuke agreement. France was still testing nukes in the pacific after it. the usa still had underground tests in nevada and alaska.

[@TheOpticalFreak]

This is an amazing video! You did an amazing job on this! 👍😃

[@bent3084]

This is my new favorite channel. Don't change anything.

[@sergemalikov6829]

WOW, this video is super impressive! thanks for summarizing!

[@jason1440]

Well done. Very informative.

[@WORLDCRUSHER9000]

Great video even with the existential anxiety induced by nuclear test footage

[@__...Michal...__]

3:39 that looks amazing.

[@richardservatius5405]

detection of nuclear explosions in outer/near space and undersea was left out of this video. the IEEE journal in 1962 describes several methods of detecting nuclear explosions. there are many methods not included in the video. some have probably long since dropped with satellites providing better? coverage. low frequency sound waves, filtering air, pressure waves, etc. have probably been dropped.

[@TurbineResearch]

Good morning!

[@jangamaster8677]

Good morning fellow human

[@MasterIvo]

good night!

[@nuclearpasta1850]

9:45 bro they used a button from a sweater lol

[@ced3763]

great dive!

[@circusitch]

I have to order my own Bhangmeter so I’m ready. Are there any at Radio Shack?

[@Muonium1]

lol do they even still exist??

[@leogemetro]

the limit between tactical and strategic is not the range of deployment by a given vector, but the yield they have

[@Muonium1]

"vay-la" rather then "vehl-uh", but anyway they were remarkably accurate devices by most accounts and only had one single "false" positive detection of a nuclear detonation in the history of the program - the Vela incident in the remote Indian Ocean between South Africa and Antarctica in 1979. This very "false" positive detection of a nuclear weapon explosion was definitely not a secret test of the clandestine Israeli nuclear weapons program and was definitely not confirmed by multiple other methods of detection as outlined in a 2018 paper by De Geer and Wright.

[@Eriiaa]

No, it's correct as he is saying. Vela is Spanish for sail.

[@Muonium1]

@@Eriiaa I'm sure that's how the word for sail IS pronounced in Spanish, but this word isn't referring to sails and the device's inventors weren't Spanish, so they all said "vay-luh", you can hear it for yourself on any number of historical films about the program freely available on this site. Similarly, the 1960s NASA program Gemini is rightly pronounced "jem-in-ee" and not "jem-in-eye" like the constellation. You're free to argue the "proper" pronunciation of these terms and others with their originators in the 1950s and 60s if you have access to a flux capacitor, but barring that, the correct pronunciations are the ones used by the men who adopted and repurposed them for their own modern technical needs when referring to the devices and systems they specifically created.

[@rhynosouris710]

It was the South Africans

[@lucasjames8281]

@@Muonium1 shut up

[@snorman1911]

"Vay-la" *is* the Spanish pronunciation anyway.

[@PepinoMichoacan]

Fascinating !

[@prinzchen17]

I would have never expected that a stoner-related term is the namegiver for something so nuke-related. Especially in the fifties!

[@19MAD95]

Every time I learn something about nuclear weapons I am obstruct in the physics and pure destruction that they hold. A bomb blast that is so hot that the air turns opaque….

[@zoobie2000]

What a great video, thanks :)

[@nalzazlan]

Nowadays social media would be the best detection tool

[@risingtides2181]

i'd love to learn more. Could you share some of your research resources?

[@joeldavis5815]

In light of recent events this video is becoming more relevant than ever.

[@xandergross8474]

15:23 to 15:37 satellite representation is so funny 🤣🤣🤣 LMAO

[@gendashwhy]

BHANG! Origin of the bhangmeter.... kinda effin' freaky!!

[@iteerrex8166]

Great video. Here 10:15 is that correct? Within 3,000 miles?

[@Majromax]

Satellite says the detonation came from Earth, approximately.

[@iteerrex8166]

@@Majromax 😂 exactly

[@keithvernonlewis9403]

I come from the old school, once you cross the threshold from conventional to nuclear or thermonuclear you have crossed a bridge too far..... Hence the term "ENDGAME", because once you play that game likely it's going to be 'THE END'

[@AngeEinstein]

Do you know a site where you can get high resolution pictures and videos of these explosions? 7:30

[@jmfp21jp]

Fascinating

[@LivingWithGout]

Let’s just hope they maintained the nukes like they did with the military vehicles in Ukraine.

[@sagebiddi]

Wouldn't that be bad tho ? Like the sense that they end up causing another unintentional catastrophe? They have a bunch of RTG powered lighthouses all along the northern coast that have fell into disrepair and one unfortunately has been the cause of three men who didn't understand what they found and thought it could be valuable scrap but ended up meeting with a horrible experience from radiation poisoning. It's a very good yt video on it is worth the watch

[@hylacinerea970]

glad to know that at least one person knows whenever a chemo patient sneezes

[@railgap]

Did I miss the part where you talked about the importance of the worldwide infrasonic detection network?

[@pilgrimm23]

developed for this purpose at Sandia Labs in the late 1980s. I think it was called Project SCARS then.

[@Mysterious.Stranger]

Anyone know the background music starting at 4:10 ? I've heard that tune before for it's ominousness but never found info on it.

[@UncleOhRed]

I think I'd be cool to have a above ground test. Are we even sure they still work.

[@severrnijKGU]

they laboriously test every subsystem on a repetitive basis. entire separate fields exist dedicated to nuclear weapons inspection, repair and upkeep. with theories growing as the industry ages. the thinking is that if every subcomponent works in the chain leading up to detonation, the whole thing will work. this field specialty also applies to certifying rockets as being fit to carry humans or only as cargo carriers. its harder to get a rocket certified to carry humans. and i know this because i eat alfalfa cubes regularly. 🐇🌿🌿

[@borliebulus6147]

Where did u get the atom explosions? Is it hd?

[@benmcreynolds8581]

Oh we are actively operating laser data transfer tech to satellites sometimes now? I heard the advancement talked about but didn't know it was being used yet. That's awesome. Did you say Ruby laser?

[@nou5440]

high quality video

[@SuLokify]

That's a strange definition for tactical vs strategic. Is a bomb that can be carried on an aircraft (which has global range due to air refueling) tactical or strategic?

[@jaybk718]

I was waiting for a mention of the Vela satellites.

[@TheColon924]

I was hoping for discussion about the OC-135

[@richardservatius5405]

that was KC135 aircraft, boy are loud when they take off!

[@ologhai8559]

"Strategic launch detected."

[@Sagittarius-A-Star]

May all the hawks and psychopaths roast in hell eternally.

[@incrediblemichael]

can you explain what happend during the vela incident please

[@umyes5246]

3:08 Pretty sure that I saw Squidward's face in that cloud

[@beaudanner]

Ability to detect accuracy within 3,000 miles? That doesn't seem so helpful. 🤔Is that correct?

[@Flopsaurus]

Right? That's an enormous range

[@dsdy1205]

Considering they were doing it from 73000 miles away and X-ray imaging was still in its infancy, 3000 miles is pretty good all things considered.

[@zackbarlow]

Great content, so well done. Such a shame YT only promotes garbage.

[@muffinman7142]

bangmeter is the perfect name for a bomb detector

[@nickhowatson4745]

*Bhangmeter

[@gamersplaygroundliquidm3th526]

Hears the detector North Korea built was called National Atomice detection system... Or as some called it Nads

[@CostlyFiddle]

who would thought learning about Nuclear Detention Detection would lead me to discover of new way (for me) to consume Cannabis!

[@anonymouslee2061]

Geez I’m glad that nuclear war Is in my recommendation.

[@harmonicoutreach]

Cool

[@PATRICKJLM]

Between 1945 and 1992, USA has detonated ON ITS OWN SOIL 1.032 (one thousand thirty two!!!) NUCLEAR BOMBS (!!!).

[@aperitifs]

they might be the real cause of climate change kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnipnKpmnd-KZ8U

[@alanmcquillan]

Yes. Also, I don't think foreign nations have detection satellites. I think the US had atmospheric tests on continental US soil even in 1990, when it was supposed to be illegal.

[@supermaster2012]

RIP all epileptics at 6:50

[@snakedoktor6020]

Did I hear wrong? The advanced VELA system could determine the location of a detonation to within 30 thousand miles? If I didn't, that doesn't seem right.

[@dsdy1205]

Wikipedia says it can determine the location within *3000 miles, which is still a pretty huge circle but at least doesn't cover the entire Earth twice over

[@wouhoubob]

I hear 3 thousand miles at 10:18

[@snakedoktor6020]

@@wouhoubob You may be right, but I still find it iffy. But 3000 makes more sense.

[@raymondzhao9557]

so cool

[@will2see]

3:48 - The two peaks lasting milliseconds were separated by a period of minimum intensity lasting from a fraction of a second to a few SECONDS??? few seconds??!!! Are you sure? I know that the pause in the double flash gets longer as the yield of the weapon gets larger, but certainly not a few seconds and certainly not in the early phase of nuclear weapon development!

[@renderproductions1032]

Tsar bomba

[@wlsnpndrvs8593]

VELA . I handled telemetry from the Air Force birds themselves in the 80s.

[@TheNewFaceOfHSP]

First time being first. Love New mind.

[@rathemis2927]

No mention of neutrinos?

[@largestudent198]

There once was an experiment when measurement of underground atomic explosion was needed (or things went wrong). A manhole flew into the air at high speed. In great irony, another explosion was conducted to find the source of ballistic hazard by creating another ballistic hazard to calculate the trajectory. On the edge of the Earth they landed and the Earth remembers.

[@trollmcclure1884]

It's obviously bang meter not bhang meter.

[@fusemalaysia840]

it's only one missle right... 😌😌😌

[@BigDaddy-yp4mi]

Pronounced VAY-LU, not VEL-UH. Source: the people who built it (docu on the Vela satellites from the 60's): kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJyxaKV_Zq9qnpY

[@gabrielwalker421]

Of course tactical nukes are the most dangerous, they end the game in 10 seconds

[@IDGAF56852]

Well i dont think the non-nuclear proliferation agreement has worked,russia has 6700 nukes with America in a close second with around 5000 nukes,then theres china which has an undisclosed amount of nukes,and the other countries that have nukes.

[@omarbutt5749]

Seasons to comb Students of atomic bomb

[@7Vigger]

Hey, I know some of these words.

[@fusemalaysia840]

not my logistic assets at all maybe...

[@Nine-Signs]

This video is overcomplicating matters, what really happens is they have a private stare at a glass of water on a perfectly flat surface 24/7 in case of ripples.

[@dsdy1205]

but what if the private shuffles their foot?

[@Nine-Signs]

@@dsdy1205 Dishonorable discharge.

[@IkarimTheCreature]

Amogus

[@nou5440]

Sus

[@oliverwharf]

I assume you meant 30,000 meters, not miles lol.

[@simplemechanics246]

F mickey mouse, they turn everything to war machine...

[@IndyRider]

Its pronounced 'Bh-aa-ng', not like 'Bang'

[@linuxbrad]

Playback speed 75%

[@wizz33a18]

aka a lightning detector

[@rockets4kids]

"While the mass use of strategic nuclear weapons is the ultimate terror of modern warfare." { biological weapons have entered the chat }

[@Ichikue]

No I think the nuclear weapons would still be even more worse than we can imagine :( nuclear is horrible

[@Greg-yu4ij]

@@Ichikue yeah, agreed. You have to be pretty stupid to use biological weapons because your enemy can augment the genetic code and attack you with the same weapon

[@Akshaylive]

Bhang is pronounced differently 😊

[@yecto1332]

Inko kya pata

[@AnuragSharma-mq2gn]

It's more like भांग धतूरा # jay mahakal 😂

[@falaicha]

Vaang

[@JarrettWilliams99]

Wtf is 14:30

[@myothersoul1953]

Nuclear weapons, as they exists it's just a matter of time before their use. But that's not the only powerful technology humans have invented that a few bad souls could use to horrific effects. As our knowledge increase and our technology gets more powerful with a lower and lower barrier to it's use. Humanity has also improved, the number of us that recognize ideas such as sexism and racism as bad is increasing as is recognition of humans rights. The moral advance is harder to see because it's not been exponential like transistors on a chip. Exponential growth doesn't last forever, it always reaches some limit because some resource runs out or growth's by products choke the system, the growth stopes or even collapses. Humanity isn't going to last forever but I hope I don't find out how we will end.

[@andersjjensen]

For some strange reason I find it reassuring that Russia can't accidentally a small nuke in Ukraine without it being immediately obvious...

[@bomboclatgardener4490]

Disgusting.

[@itsabhisheku]

Who is here from Insta video

[@chillcow7572]

i was fifth

[@reel1tv587]

Our enemies are taking notes while they learn about our defense system. Why does this video exist? Why does anyone need to know these things?

[@Ni999]

This is public information and has been for decades. Allies participate in treaty monitoring and enemies know that they're not going to sneak anything by (so don't try). The methods are classified, nothing in the video exposed any of that, but the overall system is exactly what we want everyone to know about.

[@mwanikimwaniki6801]

@@Ni999 The Chinese probably already have a mirror program of thsi

[@Ni999]

@@mwanikimwaniki6801 Good for them if they do. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@mwanikimwaniki6801]

@@Ni999 Yes.

[@Ni999]

@@mwanikimwaniki6801 Are you Chinese? Why do you care?