SPOILER: Go4 Discussions after AoS and IHA defeats

However, I can readily find entirely contradictory estimates of the critical mass, so perhaps Matt is right. And perhaps you need a good neutron injector rather thana bare sphere detonation.

G'Day Phillies,

Of course I was talking about critical mass - I said as much in my first sentence!

And the reason for this, is that you cannot get a nuclear explosion without a critical mass. (Although your point about using a neutron injector will help reduce the required amount for critical mass.)

As to the name - Pei had a "vest pocket device" - I'm assuming that that's similar to the "suitcase device", which is nothing like suitcase sized (it's actually the size of a large backpack).

The name (especially the "vest" part), is probably more representative of it's use - it's a suicide device, and so it is a (suicide) "vest" device.

And so, there's no reason why it actually has to be worn as a vest.

After all, a spherical bomb made of Californicum-252 using current technology would only require 2.7 kg of material, and be ~7 cm in diameter. Such a device could actually fit inside a breifcase, and be Pei's "vest pocket device".....



However, that wasn't my main point of the previous post. My previous post's main point was concerning the 45 calibre atomic bullet. There's just no way you can make a atmoic weapon bullet sized....


Later,
Matt

phillies wrote:Good day Matt. You're quoting the critical mass for Uranium and Plutonium. Your source says so in so many words; see the last few sentences of your source. Your numbers are irrelevant to my remark.

The critical mass for Californium (element 96) is much much smaller that the critical mass for U or Pu, and for curium (element 98) is smaller yet.

You're also ignoring the text ev, namely that Pei *had* a vest pocket device, with no worry that anyone would notice it.

MWadwell wrote:
G'Day phillies,

You've forgotten about the minimum critical mass requirement.

The smallest weapon around requires at least 5 kilograms - http://www.atomicarchive.com/Fission/Fission3.shtml and this is with a neutron reflector.

Without it, you are talking about doubling the size requirements. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_mass#Critical_mass_of_a_bare_sphere

So sorry, but there is no such thing as a "atomic bullet for the 0.45 pistol" - even with californicum.....

MWadwell wrote:G'Day Phillies,
...
After all, a spherical bomb made of Californicum-252 using current technology would only require 2.7 kg of material, and be ~7 cm in diameter. Such a device could actually fit inside a breifcase, and be Pei's "vest pocket device".....

and that is without neutron reflector, which can greatly decrease size requirement.

However the half-life of 2 years would be quite a problem.

Everyone here is assuming the vest pocket nuke is a fission device...

But what if it's a pure fission device with no fission element at all?

Merlin has a fusion reactor powering him so obviously, the TF has really good fusion tech.

With fusion, the siz and geometry constraints everyone is talking about go away and the author can make them anything he wants them to be.

Also, if the bomb does not require any tritium it doesn't have any radioactive components.

Actually, I am aware of what critical mass is, but I had seen estimates of critical mass for *some* Californium isotope of 5g. Perhaps this was a typo for 5 kg.

Returning to the original topic, I believe there will be some discussion of the 'didn't we used to have armies at A, B, C, and D?, not to mention 'The sword of Schuler appears to have been thrown back more or less toward the Siddarmark border.' and 'precisely why do you think they are going to stop when they reach Silkiah?' and 'if they occupy along this line, how are tithes from Delferahk, Sodar, Trellheim and Desnair supposed to reach us?' and 'the commanders were insufficiently morally pure and faithful, and need to be rectified.'

phillies wrote:Actually, I am aware of what critical mass is, but I had seen estimates of critical mass for *some* Californium isotope of 5g. Perhaps this was a typo for 5 kg.

Returning to the original topic, I believe there will be some discussion of the 'didn't we used to have armies at A, B, C, and D?, not to mention 'The sword of Schuler appears to have been thrown back more or less toward the Siddarmark border.' and 'precisely why do you think they are going to stop when they reach Silkiah?' and 'if they occupy along this line, how are tithes from Delferahk, Sodar, Trellheim and Desnair supposed to reach us?' and 'the commanders were insufficiently morally pure and faithful, and need to be rectified.'

Yes Back to the topic

There is going to be an extremely conflictive meeting of the Go4. Clyntahn may try to blame the Captain General who has grown up and is now dangerous in his own right and will point out Clyntahn's interference. Duchairn will support Maigwair and the last part of the Go4 – Trynair will be the key to where the argument goes. If he sides with the two against Clyntahn then there might be a civil war in the Church, if he decides on self preservation and sides with Clyntahn then Clyntahn could try to go after the two who are making the army run at all.

It seems that in chaos is opportunity. Could this be the moment Aivah wants to be in Zion? Could something be put in front of the Council of Vicars that might be a singular moment when influence would be key? Clyntahn’s Vicar supporters have been cut down in the streets and while everyone still is afraid (memories of Vicars tortured in the square) they may try to turn the Inquisition on the Inquisitor.

AIvah holds a lot of information on a lot of people and is politically astute. Why does she need to be in Zion quickly when she gets word of something? Trynair speaks out of the Grand Vicar's mouth and needs to get back in the storyline!

Hi Dwileye13,

Magwair's visit to father Lynkyn included him thinking about the proof he now had that Clyntahn had hidden things from the rest of the Go4, a very interesting development, especially since we had no further discussions between Magwair and Duchairn in LaMA let alone the rest of the Go4.

It may be they are becoming increasingly marginalized, but such discussions have provided a fascinating perspective throughout the series.

OTOH, has Magwair and Duchairn combined during the fall or winter, or will the loss of the AoS crisis provoke such an alliance?

Will it take Aivah to forge it?

While only RFC and Sharon know for sure ATM, what are the odds Aivah's trip will accelerate the fall of the Go4, whether her action is direct or indirect, positive or negative?

I don't see her providing any evidence before any council of Vicars, given that there are 300 vicars and 30 were tortured and/or killed 3 years ago, I'm sure they've been replaced by others acceptable to the Go4 (who do you think got the lion's share?), so Nynian's 9 assassinated is a drop in the bucket.

Suppose Duchairn and Magwair succeed and offer a truce to the allies, offering to send the GHoGatA back to Harchong as soon as a treaty is signed?

What would Harchong's reaction be?

"What! You're going to send 1.5 million soldiers back to Harchong with 640,000 rifles, about 10 times as many we have at the moment?"

That would be fun to watch, wouldn't it?

NTM having the TL and the allies on the same side fighting to maintain the treaty would be very entertaining, to say the least.

However, if Clyntahn survives and seizes full control, it would accelerate the collapse of the temple and the CoGA far faster, as his many incompetency's quickly became far more obvious to all.

Would Aivah shield Duchairn and other vicars if the opportunity arose?

Again, only RFC and Sharon know for now.

Do we have 9 more days to the next snippet?

All the best,

L

dwileye13 wrote:

phillies wrote:Actually, I am aware of what critical mass is, but I had seen estimates of critical mass for *some* Californium isotope of 5g. Perhaps this was a typo for 5 kg.

Returning to the original topic, I believe there will be some discussion of the 'didn't we used to have armies at A, B, C, and D?, not to mention 'The sword of Schuler appears to have been thrown back more or less toward the Siddarmark border.' and 'precisely why do you think they are going to stop when they reach Silkiah?' and 'if they occupy along this line, how are tithes from Delferahk, Sodar, Trellheim and Desnair supposed to reach us?' and 'the commanders were insufficiently morally pure and faithful, and need to be rectified.'

Yes Back to the topic

There is going to be an extremely conflictive meeting of the Go4. Clyntahn may try to blame the Captain General who has grown up and is now dangerous in his own right and will point out Clyntahn's interference. Duchairn will support Maigwair and the last part of the Go4 – Trynair will be the key to where the argument goes. If he sides with the two against Clyntahn then there might be a civil war in the Church, if he decides on self preservation and sides with Clyntahn then Clyntahn could try to go after the two who are making the army run at all.

It seems that in chaos is opportunity. Could this be the moment Aivah wants to be in Zion? Could something be put in front of the Council of Vicars that might be a singular moment when influence would be key? Clyntahn’s Vicar supporters have been cut down in the streets and while everyone still is afraid (memories of Vicars tortured in the square) they may try to turn the Inquisition on the Inquisitor.

AIvah holds a lot of information on a lot of people and is politically astute. Why does she need to be in Zion quickly when she gets word of something? Trynair speaks out of the Grand Vicar's mouth and needs to get back in the storyline!