
"earthquakes in north korea" - Kipper100
http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=earthquakes+in+north+korea
======
derekerdmann
This is public data from the USGS and numerous other sources. Why is it
surprising that Wolfram Alpha is using it?

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kevinconroy
"Detected" or "indexed"?

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bluetidepro
[http://techcrunch.com/2013/02/11/how-the-nuke-from-n-
koreas-...](http://techcrunch.com/2013/02/11/how-the-nuke-from-n-koreas-test-
could-damage-sf-via-google-maps/)

> " _After measuring a 4.9 magnitude seismic event tonight, South Korea’s
> defence ministry confirmed that it was caused by an underground nuclear
> test. North Korea’s nuclear capability is estimated to be about 2 kilotons._
> "

I'm not sure if this source is confirmed or not, but very interesting...

~~~
jsherry
For point of reference, Little Boy (the bomb dropped on Hiroshima) was 16
kilotons and 90k+ people. I'm sure there are a ton of other factors besides
kilotons that determine how destructive the bomb is, but it's a data point to
understand the potential magnitude.

Source: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Boy>

~~~
cpleppert
This is their third nuclear test and every single one has failed to cross the
eight kiloton boundary at least. If this one is a plutonium weapon like the
others it suggests that they are having major issues designing or fabricating
the implosion lens around the nuclear material. It is quite striking that they
keep conducting tests and reducing their usable nuclear stockpile further. It
is almost like they don't have the capability to get a reliable warhead.

------
arethuza
They have made an official announcement of the test:

<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21421841>

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dylangs1030
I read the comments, but could someone more expert in seismic activity break
this down for me?

How does this demonstrate Wolfram Alpha knew about the nuke itself (or could
ascertain there might have been a nuke)?

It looks like it just indexed seismic activity. Is it because the measurements
are peculiar?

------
jonsherrard
If you put the coordinates into Google maps you get this address:

<http://goo.gl/maps/TNfuD>

~~~
mapleoin
So it looks like they're bombing their own nuclear facility.

~~~
phevia
Tests are typically conducted in vertical shafts, according to the Preparatory
Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBTO). Holes are
cut 1 to 3 meters wide and up to a kilometer deep. The atomic devices are
assembled on site and placed in the hole, usually accompanied by lead-
protected diagnostic canister that contains sensors to record the explosion.
The tunnel is then filled with layers of pea gravel, sand and other materials
to prevent radioactive material from being released into the atmosphere.

During a test, the explosion energy is released in less than a millionth of a
second, according to CTBTO. The temperature will reach about a million degrees
within a few microseconds, and shockwaves from the blast, depending on the
size, can be detected by seismographs around the planet.

(From time.com)

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killermonkeys
"Earthquakes North Korea" != "nuclear tests North Korea" any more than "fire
San Francisco" == "temperature San francisco"

~~~
cpleppert
Except when the seismic signature doesn't look like a natural earthquake.

------
neya
As you keep zooming out[1] of the location of this nuke, till you see atleast
a whole portion of the earth, you will realize that the existence of this nuke
(or the concept of where/how it will be used) is unnecessary.

[1]<http://goo.gl/maps/TNfuD> (Thanks to HN user jonsherrard for the link)

~~~
benologist
I like how they hid it on Nuclear Test Road.

~~~
cantankerous
I think the name of that road could be user supplied data to Google through
that collaborative mapping effort in North Korea. I could be wrong, though.

------
dantillberg
Yet wolfram alpha isn't quite smart enough to tell that this wasn't really an
earthquake but a nuclear test:

[http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=nuclear+tests+in+north+...](http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=nuclear+tests+in+north+korea)

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filvdg
I checked "earthquakes in the Netherlands" : nothing there

Google news has the one of 8 feb

[https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&gl=us&tbm=nws...](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&gl=us&tbm=nws&q=earthquake+in+the+netherlands)

~~~
gus_massa
That earthquake was smaller, from:
[http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-09/gas-rich-
groningen-...](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-09/gas-rich-groningen-
province-in-netherlands-hit-by-new-earthquake.html)

 _> A quake measuring 2.7 on the Richter scale struck the area ..._

To see it in Wolfram Alpha you need to add more parameters:
[http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=earthquakes+in+Netherla...](http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=earthquakes+in+Netherlands+with+magnitude+%3E+2)

------
bcl
Misleading title

[http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usc000f5t0#...](http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usc000f5t0#summary)

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jpswade
It just says earthquake here (UK), no mention of nuke.

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Yoni1
How would one know this is a nuke? Earthquakes happen.

~~~
dutchbrit
Nukes have completely different fingerprints than earthquakes.

An example: [http://quakesos.sosearthquakesvz.netdna-cdn.com/wp-
content/u...](http://quakesos.sosearthquakesvz.netdna-cdn.com/wp-
content/uploads/2013/02/Screen-Shot-2013-02-12-at-10.09.11.jpg)

~~~
danielweber
My old geology teacher said that the test-ban-treaty was a _huge_ boon to
geologists, since there was now a bottomless pit of money to be used to build
seismographs anywhere you wanted to build them.

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cgosnell
Its also interesting that an 'earthquake' also happened on the same spot in
2009 and 2003 as well...

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mhb
Nothing for "nuclear tests in north korea" about the recent test.

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Mordor
I for one welcome our Korean overlords, although I'm not sure who will be
providing food aid in paradise?

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speeder
So what?

~~~
ctdonath
Nuclear tests directed by crazed lunatics are usually worth taking note of.

~~~
sbhere
duly noted.

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supercoder
Wolfram Alpha can't be trusted then.

