On 2 Apr 2006 16:50:56 -0700, "gpsman" <gpsman@driversmail.com> wrote:

Allen Thomson wrote: <brevity snip>

Random thought: this might be something for people with seismomometers
and microbarographs to watch for.  Also, IIRC, explosions this large at
or near the surface have been known to affect radio propagation.

+++++++++++

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=1654792&C=america

Posted 03/30/06 11:32
U.S. To Test 700-Ton Explosive

By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE


 The U.S. military plans to detonate a 700 ton explosive charge in a
test called "Divine Strake" that will send a mushroom cloud over
Las Vegas, a senior defense official said March 30.

 The Pentagon plans to detonate 700 tons of conventional high
explosives in Nevada in a June 2 test designed to gauge the
effectiveness of weapons against deeply buried targets, officials said
on March 30.

I don't want to sound glib here... but I'm wondering which method of
delivery they're planning for a 1.4M+ pound weapon.  That's explosive
in this test excluding any case or fuse.

Max. Takeoff Weight for a C-5A is 384.5 tons.

No need.  What's being tested is not an explosive, it's a kinetic
energy weapon.

See Aviation Week here...C-5s are mentioned, but not as weapon
delivery platforms.

http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/search/autosuggest.jsp?docid=591587&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aviationnow.com%2Favnow%2Fnews%2Fchannel_awst_story.jsp%3Fview%3Dstory%26id%3Dnews%2F030606p1.xml

Great cover story, though.  Interesting that they mentioned granite.
The "rods of god" are supposedly capable of blowing craters 2000 feet
in diameter in solid rock.

T.L. Davis