Tsar Bomba Blast Radius

Overview

Largest nuclear weapon ever tested.

With a yield of 50 megatons^[1], the Tsar Bomba is 3,333× more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb. As a thermonuclear (hydrogen bomb) weapon, it derives its energy from a fission explosion that ignites fusion fuel. About 97% of its energy came from fusion, making it one of the cleanest nuclear explosions relative to its yield. ^[2]

Tsar Bomba Blast Effects

The table below shows the calculated radius of each effect zone for an air burst at optimum height. Values are scaling laws from The Effects of Nuclear Weapons (Glasstone & Dolan, 1977) and the published effects scaling table^{[3, 4]}.

Effect zone	Radius (air burst)
Fireball radius	4.62 km
Severe blast (20 psi)	8.64 km
Moderate blast (5 psi)	23.1 km
Light blast (1 psi)	64.1 km
3rd-degree thermal burns	54.1 km
2nd-degree thermal burns	61.2 km
1st-degree thermal burns	72.5 km

All radii assume an air burst at optimum height and are 1-D ground-distance estimates from the detonation point. Real-world effects depend on terrain, weather, and building construction. Casualty and fallout estimates are not shown pending a verified population and fallout model.

Where and when Tsar Bomba was tested

Tsar Bomba was detonated at 11:32 Moscow time on 30 October 1961 at the Mityushikha Bay test site on the west coast of Novaya Zemlya, test field D-2 near Cape Sukhoy Nos. ^{[2, 5]} It was dropped by a Tu-95V bomber flown by Major Andrei Durnovtsev ^[5] (Sublette designates the carrier aircraft a Tu-95N). ^[2] Released from 10,500 m on a parachute, the bomb burst at about 4,000 m. ^[2]

The bomb was about 8 m long and 2.1 m in diameter and weighed roughly 27 tonnes (sources give a 24.5–27.5 tonne range). ^[2] The device tested at 50 megatons against a 100-megaton design; for the test a lead tamper replaced the uranium one, roughly halving the yield. ^{[6, 5]} For the full story of the test, the flash, the shock wave and the mushroom cloud, see Tsar Bomba: The Largest Nuclear Test Ever.

FAQ

How big is the Tsar Bomba blast radius?

In an air burst at optimum height, the Tsar Bomba produces a fireball roughly 4.62 km in radius and a 5 psi moderate-blast zone of about 23.1 km — the area in which most residential buildings would collapse. The 1 psi light-damage radius extends to roughly 64.1 km, where windows shatter.

What is the yield of the Tsar Bomba?

The Tsar Bomba has a yield of 50 megatons of TNT equivalent. That is 3,333× more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb.

Is the Tsar Bomba bigger than the Hiroshima bomb?

The Hiroshima bomb (Little Boy) had a yield of approximately 15 kilotons. The Tsar Bomba at 50 megatons is 3,333× more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb.^[7]

What thermal burn radius does the Tsar Bomba produce?

In an air burst at optimum height, thermal radiation from the Tsar Bomba can cause 3rd-degree burns out to roughly 54.1 km, 2nd-degree burns to 61.2 km, and 1st-degree burns to 72.5 km.

Overview

Tsar Bomba Blast Effects

Where and when Tsar Bomba was tested

Run the Tsar Bomba on a City

Related Weapons

FAQ

Sources