G
Guest
·At 09:45 EDT on a clear summer morning, a stolen twin engine Piper Aztec piloted by an Islamic jihadist bent upon martyrdom approaches downtown Rochester at an altitude of 2,500-feet above ground level (AGL). Behind the pilot is a single 200 kiloton plutonium fission device borrowed from a nuclear weapons storage facility in Hasanabdal, Pakistan.
Upon reaching a point directly above the Blue Cross/Blue Shield arena, formerly known as the War Memorial, the pilot presses two switches simultaneously causing the device to detonate.
At the Strathallan, 550 East Avenue, one mile slant range from the detonation, the 1,800-foot diameter fireball lays down 200-calories of heat energy per square centimeter. Only 10-calories per square centimeter are required to cause second degree burns. It takes the fireball only 4-seconds to emit 80% of its heat energy. At the peak of the thermal pulse, approximately 3-seconds after detonation, the blast wave reached the Strathallan applying an overpressure of 21-pounds per square inch and a wind velocity of 500-miles per hour. At an overpressure of 5-pounds per square inch a wood frame structure (typical house) suffers heavy damage. These forces completely destroy every structure within the 1-mile radius.
At the intersection of Lexington and Lake Avenues, two miles from the detonation, the shock wave arrives in 7.5-seconds carrying with it a peak overpressure of 7-pounds per square inch and a wind velocity of 220-miles per hour. This far from the detonation broken window glass is propelled at 325-feet per second. A person standing in the open is hurled at a velocity of 34-feet per second. At a two-mile distance thermal energy is laid down at 40-calories per square centimeter, four times the amount to cause second degree burns.
At the Rochester International Airport, three-miles from the detonation the blast wave arrives 12-seconds after detonation with a maximum overpressure of 3.9-pounds per square inch and a wind velocity of 120-miles per hour, enough to break windows but leave frame buildings otherwise undamaged. Thermal energy absorbed at this distance is 20-calories per square centimeter, still more than enough to cause second degree burns of exposed skin.
At the Country Club of Rochester, four-miles from the detonation the blast wave arrives 16-seconds after detonation with an overpressure of 2.5-pounds per square inch and a wind velocity of 75-miles per hour. Some windows will be broken but otherwise there is little structural damage. Thermal energy is delivered at about 10-calories per square centimeter.
At the West side of the Irondequoit Bay Bridge, five-miles from the detonation, the blast wave arrives 20-seconds after the detonation with negligible effect and a wind velocity of 60-miles per hour. Thermal energy is deposited at about 5-calories per square centimeter.
At my desk, twenty-four-miles from the detonation I notice stark shadows in the parking lot that last for a little less than a minute followed by what sounds like a peel of thunder accompanied by a warm 4-mile per hour breeze.
Upon reaching a point directly above the Blue Cross/Blue Shield arena, formerly known as the War Memorial, the pilot presses two switches simultaneously causing the device to detonate.
At the Strathallan, 550 East Avenue, one mile slant range from the detonation, the 1,800-foot diameter fireball lays down 200-calories of heat energy per square centimeter. Only 10-calories per square centimeter are required to cause second degree burns. It takes the fireball only 4-seconds to emit 80% of its heat energy. At the peak of the thermal pulse, approximately 3-seconds after detonation, the blast wave reached the Strathallan applying an overpressure of 21-pounds per square inch and a wind velocity of 500-miles per hour. At an overpressure of 5-pounds per square inch a wood frame structure (typical house) suffers heavy damage. These forces completely destroy every structure within the 1-mile radius.
At the intersection of Lexington and Lake Avenues, two miles from the detonation, the shock wave arrives in 7.5-seconds carrying with it a peak overpressure of 7-pounds per square inch and a wind velocity of 220-miles per hour. This far from the detonation broken window glass is propelled at 325-feet per second. A person standing in the open is hurled at a velocity of 34-feet per second. At a two-mile distance thermal energy is laid down at 40-calories per square centimeter, four times the amount to cause second degree burns.
At the Rochester International Airport, three-miles from the detonation the blast wave arrives 12-seconds after detonation with a maximum overpressure of 3.9-pounds per square inch and a wind velocity of 120-miles per hour, enough to break windows but leave frame buildings otherwise undamaged. Thermal energy absorbed at this distance is 20-calories per square centimeter, still more than enough to cause second degree burns of exposed skin.
At the Country Club of Rochester, four-miles from the detonation the blast wave arrives 16-seconds after detonation with an overpressure of 2.5-pounds per square inch and a wind velocity of 75-miles per hour. Some windows will be broken but otherwise there is little structural damage. Thermal energy is delivered at about 10-calories per square centimeter.
At the West side of the Irondequoit Bay Bridge, five-miles from the detonation, the blast wave arrives 20-seconds after the detonation with negligible effect and a wind velocity of 60-miles per hour. Thermal energy is deposited at about 5-calories per square centimeter.
At my desk, twenty-four-miles from the detonation I notice stark shadows in the parking lot that last for a little less than a minute followed by what sounds like a peel of thunder accompanied by a warm 4-mile per hour breeze.
