North Korean Test Confirmed

USGS seismic location of NK nuclear test

The North Korean claims to have carried out a nuclear test have been comfirmed by geologists, though how successful the test was is open to question.

Geological analysis by American, Russian and South Korean scientists gave different readings of the strength of the blast. South Korea said it registered 3.6 on the Richter scale, and had a strength equivalent to 800 tons of TNT, considerably smaller than the first atom bomb, dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.

Russia said it was considerably stronger, equivalent to between 5,000 and 15,000 tons of TNT.

Even fifteen kilotons is a pretty small explosion and it's possible that the Communists couldn't manage anything better than a sub-critical detonation. Nevertheless, this is throwing down the nuclear gauntlet in no small measure. If the UN Security Council and the US don't react with something better than sanctions and stern memos, then they might as well allow nuclear weapons to be sold on e-bay.