10

9 comments

[–] [Deleted] 2 points (+2|-0)

Actually you are right, I'll remove the flair.

Thank you. I'm still not positive that the blast is equivalent to the amount of material stored. As substances have different properties. I know nukes are measured in equivalents of TNT. And I'm not certain that this ammonium nitrate would measure in the same way. If I recall it has to do with seismic waves and the the overdressed created, similar to what Jobes mentioned.

[–] [Deleted] 1 points (+1|-0)

A kiloton is a unit of energy equal to 4.184 terajoules (4.184×1012 J). The amount of energy released by detonating 1000 metric tons of TNT.

Ammonium nitrate is the major component of ANFO; it's likely it became contaminated with fuel oil which enabled it to explode.

I'm not sure what the equivalent energy released by ANFO is.