What happens if a nuke goes off underwater?
At the maximum diameter of the first oscillation, a very large nuclear bomb exploded in very deep water creates a bubble about a half-mile (800 m) wide in about one second and then contracts, which also takes about a second. Blast bubbles from deep nuclear explosions have slightly longer oscillations than shallow ones.
What happens if a nuclear powered submarine explodes?
It sinks and sits in the cold water of the deep sea. The reactors are designed to shut down automatically upon a loss of electrical power (which will happen pretty quickly if the boat floods and sinks), and emergency systems will keep the reactor from melting down.
What are the effects of a nuclear explosion?
Nuclear explosions produce both immediate and delayed destructive effects. Immediate effects (blast, thermal radiation, prompt ionizing radiation) are produced and cause significant destruction within seconds or minutes of a nuclear detonation.
How far did the submarine move after the explosion?
69°36′N 37°34′E, showed that the boat had moved about 400 m (1,300 ft) from the site of the initial explosion. It was enough time for the submarine to sink to a depth of 108 m (354 ft) and remain on the sea floor for a short period.
What was the name of the Russian submarine that sank?
The sinking of the nuclear-powered Oscar-class submarine Kursk (Russian: Project 949A Антей Atomnaya Podvodnaya Lodka “Kursk” (APL “Kursk”)), took place during the first major Russian naval exercise in more than ten years, in the Barents Sea on 12 August 2000, killing all 118 personnel on board.
What happens in plant state a of a submarine?
In the normal sea-going state, Plant State A, the submarine’s pressurized water reactor (PWR) operates at high temperature and pressure. It is in this state that a catastrophic rupture of the plant pipework is most likely to happen, leading to a reactor accident.