Re: [TML] Detecting Nuclear Detonations Postmark 06 Apr 2016 22:31 UTC

On 6 Apr 2016, at 22:46, Kurt Feltenberger <xxxxxx@thepaw.org> wrote:
>
> This question touches on the known and theoretical...
>
> Are there any particles or emissions, however faint, known or theorized, that would allow a sufficiently sensitive sensor to detect a nuclear detonation (actually, enough to destroy all civilization on a world of ~7+ billion people in a day) at interstellar distances either as it happened or within a short (less than a week or so) period of time?
>
> My gut says no, but with mesons and other goodies that are on the bleeding edge, I figured I'd ask and see what the hive has to say.

I think that there are two grounds for saying no:

Firstly, no non-FTL particle is going to reach the next star in less than a year or so.

Secondly, even global thermonuclear war is dull next to the output of a star.

Phil Kitching