tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6130126685334700207.post9153053585387993575..comments2023-09-09T07:55:53.277-07:00Comments on El Pollo Real: How Air Separates Water And Goes Boomchickelithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10773887469972534979noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6130126685334700207.post-85237142112109054792013-07-12T12:56:37.707-07:002013-07-12T12:56:37.707-07:00Pollo Raylan - the fewer the number of plants, the...Pollo Raylan - the fewer the number of plants, the worse Sigivald's problem gets. So there's a bomb. Isotopic analysis says - same thing it always says. Oops. Though it would tell you whether the bombers made their *own* ammonium nitrate.Anthonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12389602137217799305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6130126685334700207.post-87807499063213068952013-07-12T10:39:47.123-07:002013-07-12T10:39:47.123-07:00I just figured out why this somewhat old post is g...I just figured out why this somewhat old post is getting some action - it was Althouse linked! <br /><br />Thank you, Ann Althouse.<br />_________________<br /><br />@Sigivald: How many different companies actually make ammonium nitrate? You'd need a Haber-Bosch plant. I agree that the cost of the isotopes would be like a tax and would raise costs, but the actual amount would depend on the level of enrichment-- but do not underestimate the the power of isotopic analytics these days. Mass spectrometric sniffing has come a long ways. chickelithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10773887469972534979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6130126685334700207.post-25421225247677721052013-07-12T09:46:50.198-07:002013-07-12T09:46:50.198-07:00A second question is technical: is it possible (in...<i>A second question is technical: is it possible (in theory) to isotopically label the nitrogen in manufactured ammonium nitrate and thus, after isotopic analysis of air samples at the bombing site prior to mixing, identify the source? </i><br /><br />Theoretically it out to be possible.<br /><br />But it'd cost so much as to make it utterly pointless - besides, the "source" is almost going to be "a giant chemical company that made a batch of commercial fertilizer".<br /><br />It wouldn't be especially meaningful to find out where a very common, essentially un-controlled (and in practical terms un-controllable) chemical came from, would it?Sigivaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16152366541957466049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6130126685334700207.post-20203845909487798042013-07-12T08:51:08.295-07:002013-07-12T08:51:08.295-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.JPShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09413052994164641967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6130126685334700207.post-12629266876262784012013-07-12T08:48:05.797-07:002013-07-12T08:48:05.797-07:00IIRC, the addition of water to heated ammonium nit...IIRC, the addition of water to heated ammonium nitrate was what caused the Texas City disaster.Megaerahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17018161469321132527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6130126685334700207.post-83364099562536250492013-04-20T16:33:27.190-07:002013-04-20T16:33:27.190-07:00Forthcomings are still being detailed.Forthcomings are still being detailed.chickelithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10773887469972534979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6130126685334700207.post-41664462147957528902013-04-20T03:11:25.863-07:002013-04-20T03:11:25.863-07:00You could say that was the climax of the investiga...You could say that was the climax of the investigation.The Dudehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05354536924604187137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6130126685334700207.post-38619052202899425722013-04-19T18:45:13.128-07:002013-04-19T18:45:13.128-07:00Blogger chickelit said...
After hours of poli...Blogger chickelit said...<br /><br /> After hours of police coaxing, the little man in the boat came quietly. <br /><br />Oh no you dih-hint! Damn, you went there!The Dudehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05354536924604187137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6130126685334700207.post-86166957486975492692013-04-16T06:12:53.498-07:002013-04-16T06:12:53.498-07:00Gunpowder huh? Involving that old friend saltpete...Gunpowder huh? Involving that old friend <a href="http://acrazychicken.blogspot.com/2011/04/saltpeter-is-not-rock-salt.html" rel="nofollow">saltpeter</a>. chickelithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10773887469972534979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6130126685334700207.post-58300104332275310832013-04-16T04:52:36.213-07:002013-04-16T04:52:36.213-07:00Late breaking news indicates that the murderer/bom...Late breaking news indicates that the murderer/bomber used gunpowder (low order explosive) to propel ball bearings. LLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05538854359365988863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6130126685334700207.post-50098466588073486822013-04-16T04:19:57.533-07:002013-04-16T04:19:57.533-07:00I doubt that they'd use ANFO for the sorts of ...I doubt that they'd use ANFO for the sorts of bombs used in Boston because of the typical yield to weight ratio. More likely some sort of plastic explosive such as C-4, PETN or Semtec. <br /><br />Since I didn't hear it (high order vs low order), I have no idea what was used, however placement of explosives such as that one is critical to effect. There is also the question of whether they included some sort of fragmenting material. I don't know if there is anything on YouTube about using Bangalore Torpedoes for this sort of anti-personnel mission or not, but in the sense of the modern versions they are not just for wire.<br /><br />Based on the reports that came from the scene, I think that it was a high order detonation from multiple devices that had been carried to the location in backpacks. Since there was such extensive wounding, likely C-4 with ball bearings or something along that line (think massive shotgun). There was one device that didn't blow in Boston. It would be interesting to me whether or not that was timed to kill first responders who were arriving to lend assistance to the murdered.<br /><br />Two claymore mines (shrapnel propelled by C-4) - not very heavy and designed with a directional fragmentation pattern would have worked well in that scenario and would fit in backpacks. ANFO is usually much heavier to get the yield that you'd want - and with ANFO you need an initiating charge (such as C-4) to start the reaction that you outline above. That's why most ANFO bombs are packed into culverts, into cars or vans and aren't delivered by small backpack (20-30 lbs).LLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05538854359365988863noreply@blogger.com