B83 on Mexico City
1.2 Mt thermonuclear weapon · Mexico · Population 9,209,000 · Density 6,000/km²
About this scenario
This page calculates what would happen if the B83 (USA, 1983) detonated over Mexico City (Mexico). Most powerful US weapon in active service.
The capital of Mexico and the largest city in North America by population, with a metro area of over 21 million. With an urban-core density of about 6,000 people per km², even a relatively small detonation over the city center would affect a large population.
The B83 delivers 1.2 Mt of explosive yield — 80× more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb. The tables below show calculated effect radii for an air burst (optimized for blast spread) and a surface burst (which produces massive fallout).
Air-burst effects (B83 over Mexico City)
| Effect zone | Radius | Est. affected |
|---|---|---|
| Fireball (vaporization, 100% fatal) | 2.47 km | ~115,181 |
| Severe blast (20 PSI, ~98% fatal) | 5.00 km | ~347,073 |
| Moderate blast (5 PSI, ~50% fatal) | 10.69 km | ~841,130 |
| Light blast (1 PSI, glass injuries) | 30.41 km | ~763,800 |
| 3rd-degree thermal burns | 12.26 km | — |
| 2nd-degree thermal burns | 21.96 km | — |
Estimated total fatalities: ~1,303,384 · Estimated total affected (inside 1 PSI light-blast radius): ~17,429,944.
Surface-burst effects (with fallout)
A surface burst trades blast spread for radioactive fallout — much smaller blast radii but a large lethal fallout plume drifting downwind. This is what would happen if the B83 struck ground level rather than detonating optimally above Mexico City.
| Effect zone | Radius (surface burst) |
|---|---|
| Fireball | 1.98 km |
| Severe blast (20 PSI) | 2.75 km |
| Moderate blast (5 PSI) | 5.88 km |
| Light blast (1 PSI) | 16.72 km |
| 3rd-degree thermal burns | 7.36 km |
| Lethal fallout zone | ~204.6 km |
Run this scenario in the simulator
See the actual blast zones overlaid on a map of Mexico City with population-density-based casualty estimates updated in real time as you move the detonation point.
🎯 Open this scenario on the mapB83 on other cities
Other weapons on Mexico City
FAQ
What would happen if the B83 detonated over Mexico City?
In an air burst over Mexico City, the B83 (1.2 Mt) would produce a fireball about 2.47 km in radius. The 5 PSI moderate-blast zone — where most residential buildings collapse — would extend to 10.69 km. Light blast damage and shattered windows would reach 30.41 km. Given Mexico City's urban density (~6,000/km²), this scenario yields an estimated 1,303,384 immediate fatalities and about 763,800 additional injured.
How many people would die in Mexico City from a B83 strike?
An air burst of the B83 over Mexico City could cause an estimated 1,303,384 immediate fatalities and 763,800 additional injuries. The fireball alone (radius 2.47 km) would kill approximately 115,181 people; the severe-blast zone (20 PSI, radius 5.00 km) would add 347,073; the moderate-blast zone (5 PSI, radius 10.69 km) would add 841,130 more. Real numbers depend heavily on time of day, sheltering, weather, and altitude of detonation.
What is the blast radius of the B83 on Mexico City?
For an air burst over Mexico City: fireball 2.47 km, severe blast (20 PSI) 5.00 km, moderate blast (5 PSI) 10.69 km, light blast (1 PSI) 30.41 km. Thermal radiation causes 3rd-degree burns out to 12.26 km. A surface burst would shrink the blast radii by roughly 40 percent but generate massive radioactive fallout extending ~205 km from ground zero.
Is the B83 bigger than the bomb that hit Hiroshima?
The Hiroshima bomb (Little Boy) had a yield of about 15 kilotons. The B83 at 1.2 Mt is 80× more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb.