New York Sky Turns Bright Blue After Transformer Explosion • Hacker News Board

Re: New York Sky Turns Bright Blue After Transformer Explosion

#141

Post by busterarm » Fri, Dec 28, 2018, 6:17 PM UTC

jp555 wrote: post #108

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Non-nuclear EMP devices are surely real. They can fit in somebody's basement, don't have to be delivered by missile.

My high school physics says that’s BS, but EMP scare tactics does make for a great info-war weapon. It’s quite the boogeyman if you don’t have much science background. Stuxnet like attacks are way way more plausible and likely.

What are you talking about? Google 'explosively pumped flux compression generator'. LANL wrote a paper on how to do this in the '70s and did real world tests. You output to the antenna or right into the grid.

If I recall correctly they mostly used RDX.

Re: New York Sky Turns Bright Blue After Transformer Explosion

#142

Post by Itaxpica » Fri, Dec 28, 2018, 6:23 PM UTC

ethagnawl wrote: post #81

miiiiiike wrote: post #12

I live about two blocks away. The lights dimmed and one of our breakers flipped. Then it got bad. My phone suddenly lit up, brighter than the night's electric blue sky, as everyone I've ever known called and texted to ask about what was going on. Nothing interesting. Astoria is a pretty great neighborhood tho. We have a 24-hour fruit market next to another 24-hour fruit market.

You've also got (at least one) 24 hour diner: Neptune. After moving to NYC, I was shocked by how few of those there are left and they're only becoming more rare.

Oh wow, there’s a 24 hour diner in my neighborhood called Neptune II; I wonder if it’s related.

Re: New York Sky Turns Bright Blue After Transformer Explosion

#143

Post by skj » Fri, Dec 28, 2018, 6:34 PM UTC

jp555 wrote: post #135

BoiledCabbage wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> if you don’t have much science background Like HS physics It comes across as somewhat condescending and naive to refer to a HS class as having a notable amount of science background. And a reason to dismiss other sources of information.

Sources that invalidate foundational theory? It’s like claims that cell radios cause molecular damage in humans; that probably requires proving Enstien’s Nobel prize winning work on the photoelectric effect is wrong.

I must have missed the class on the axiomatic foundational theory of EMPs-are-only-from-nuclear-blasts.

Or, the HS physics overview that you and I share simply doesn't dip very deeply into these topics.

Re: New York Sky Turns Bright Blue After Transformer Explosion

#144

Post by ricardobeat » Fri, Dec 28, 2018, 6:34 PM UTC

MrBuddyCasino wrote: post #75

kalleboo wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://electrical-engineering-portal.com/north-american-ver... This page has a good diagram showing the difference between US and EU distribution systems - how the US has many small transformers vs the EU having few large ones, and how US customers get three-wire single phase vs EU three-phase

> Generally, North American designs result in fewer customer interruptions. I suspect this is offset greatly by the differences in infra, where EU uses buried cables instead of US style utility poles.

Second that. In many years living in Europe I’ve seen a blackout only once (and got reimbursed for the inconvenience!).

Re: New York Sky Turns Bright Blue After Transformer Explosion

#145

Post by dragontamer » Fri, Dec 28, 2018, 6:34 PM UTC

vkou wrote: post #128

Casseres wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't have to be very far from the epicenter to survive a nuclear blast.

A 500 kt warhead will kill most people within 3 miles of it, and will continue killing people up to ~6 miles. These days, a single missile carries 5-10 warheads. They split and spread out over the strike area a few seconds before detonation. One missile can, thanks to this, kill most of the people in a multi-million-person metro area. Between the two of them, the United States, and Russia are currently pointing 4,000…

Superpowers aren't going to use nukes on each other, due to the threat of MAD. Terrorists may be able to steal a nuke and deploy one for their nefarious reasons. Lets say a terrorist group gets a briefcase nuke from somebody, then blows it up in a major city.

500+kt is strategic level, if superpowers used it we're all screwed. But the typical nuke is tactical-level, or ~10kt or so. And tactical-level nukes could be theoretically stolen by groups (there are way more tactical nukes than strategic ones).

We're looking at ~half a mile radius that's blown up, but otherwise a survivable blast. There are rumors that as the USSR collapsed, it lost track of a number of their small tactical-nukes (even if they kept good tabs on their strategic nukes).

It seems far more likely that the next nuke to be used will be a smaller tactical nuke, probably in the hands of terrorists.

Re: New York Sky Turns Bright Blue After Transformer Explosion

#146

Post by skj » Fri, Dec 28, 2018, 6:35 PM UTC

ghouse wrote: post #117

Transformer "explosions" don't last very long. Transformer fires are a different color. [0] As others have noted, the color suggests arcing. Arcing has a number of different causes, but should be brief -- system protection in the form of circuit breakers should interrupt the flow of power immediately ending the arc. This article is more factual, characterizing it as a electrical fault creating an arc: https://abc7ny.…

I imagine our conventional understanding of the utility of circuit breakers falls apart quickly as we get to the inside of the actual power plant.

Re: New York Sky Turns Bright Blue After Transformer Explosion

#147

Post by johnohara » Fri, Dec 28, 2018, 6:38 PM UTC

Would be interesting to know how many people unwittingly presented to an Urgent Care/ER with symptoms of "welder's flash."

ICD-10-CM code H16.139 - Photokeratitis, Unspecified Eye.

It's no-joke. You need a mask or you immediately look away. No exceptions.

Re: New York Sky Turns Bright Blue After Transformer Explosion

#148

Post by tedd4u » Fri, Dec 28, 2018, 6:44 PM UTC

sschueller wrote: post #85

antome wrote: post #16

Here's a pretty good view from above, from reddit: https://old.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/comments/aa632...

Here a close up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU0u1tE2_RQ and https://streamable.com/2wi38

Note loud NSFW language immediately and throughout the video. :)

Re: New York Sky Turns Bright Blue After Transformer Explosion

#149

Post by cududa » Fri, Dec 28, 2018, 7:01 PM UTC

jp555 wrote: post #108

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Non-nuclear EMP devices are surely real. They can fit in somebody's basement, don't have to be delivered by missile.

My high school physics says that’s BS, but EMP scare tactics does make for a great info-war weapon. It’s quite the boogeyman if you don’t have much science background. Stuxnet like attacks are way way more plausible and likely.

Buddy you’re gonna have to learn that sometimes your teachers are just wrong. Just because they’re in some position of authority doesn’t automatically qualify their credentials

Re: New York Sky Turns Bright Blue After Transformer Explosion

#150

Post by alexis_fr » Fri, Dec 28, 2018, 7:04 PM UTC

skj wrote: post #146

ghouse wrote: post #117

Transformer "explosions" don't last very long. Transformer fires are a different color. [0] As others have noted, the color suggests arcing. Arcing has a number of different causes, but should be brief -- system protection in the form of circuit breakers should interrupt the flow of power immediately ending the arc. This article is more factual, characterizing it as a electrical fault creating an arc: https://abc7ny.…

I imagine our conventional understanding of the utility of circuit breakers falls apart quickly as we get to the inside of the actual power plant.

High voltage circuit breakers are actually very interesting, videos are on youtube. Some common ones are isolatef with SF6, and as long as there is fluor, it’s nasty.