Here's a 500 lb. bomb
2000 of these is one million lbs. If one bomb is 5X2X2 ft3, then 2000 in a single layer would take up an area of 200X100 ft2 - less than a football field.
Posted on 10/08/2012 9:33:10 PM PDT by ExxonPatrolUs
Millions of pounds of unexploded bombs and other military ordnance that were dumped decades ago in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as off the coasts of both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, could now pose serious threats to shipping lanes and the 4,000 oil and gas rigs in the Gulf, warns two Texas A&M University oceanographers. William Bryant and Neil Slowey, professors of oceanography who have more than 90 years of combined research experience in all of the Earth's oceans, along with fellow researcher Mike Kemp of Washington, D.C., say millions of pounds of bombs are scattered over the Gulf of Mexico and also off the coasts of at least 16 states, from New Jersey to Hawaii. Bryant says the discarded bombs are hardly a secret. "This has been well known for decades by many people in marine science and oceanography," he explains. "This subject has been very well documented through the years," Bryant explains. "My first thought when I saw the news reports of the Deepwater Horizon explosion in the Gulf two years ago were, 'Oh my gosh, I wonder if some of the bombs down there are to blame.'"
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
...suddenly, after fifty years...
Yep. And the EPA steps in for the good of humanity! Paging Mizzzzzz Lizzzzzzzza Jackzzzzzzzon!!
Trolling for dollars.
No jerk, it was BP breaking every standard operational procedure in the books and the OBummer administration watch dog agency letting them get away with it by way of exemptions.
No kidding...
Millions of pounds of bombs.I call bullshite right there.We dropped the majority on our enemies not in the ocean.Somebody is trolling for dollars,our dollars.
After all this time, suddenly it’s important! Millions if not billions must. E spent on studies and investigations at once!
Here's a 500 lb. bomb
2000 of these is one million lbs. If one bomb is 5X2X2 ft3, then 2000 in a single layer would take up an area of 200X100 ft2 - less than a football field.
I wonder if BamBam is worried that Iran has mined the Gulf and they’re just planting the cover story about old unexploded bombs. (Tinfoil hat firmly in place!)
This is the sudden urgency for a 50 year problem that will make someone with the “right connections” wealthy from taxpayer money.
This is ridiculous and it is NOT a problem.
What of bunch of f*ckwits (as the Aussies would say).
As anybody who has sailed, or motored about the ocean, knows, saltwater is an incredibly corrosive environment. I would doubt that little, if any, of the millions of pounds of ordinance could actually detonate after fifty years.
These clowns should be embarrassed.
The best gauge of the risks would be where such devices are concentrated, such as sunken naval vessels in Truk Lagoon.
While dangerous, they aren’t the threat to all humanity as the article claims.
Many "explosives disposal areas" are marked on ADIZ charts from 50 years ago.
old bombs underwater EOD ping
The Sacramento Bee, say no more. From the belly of the beast.
Notice that the SacBee article originated as a press release. Is someone trying to stir up a grant or two via alarmism?
My only concern is to what extent a pile of 500 pound bombs will gradually be spread around by strong storms. Mustard gas is a whole issue itself, but IIRC it is denser than water so when its canister degrades and starts to leak, the gas will be in the form of pool of liquid on the bottom. However, should a net come in contact with it, it might be contaminated and harm those who subsequently handle it.
Maybe someone with sufficient NBC expertise can comment on this threat.
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