N2 Mines/Bombs/Missiles/Depth Charges

[V]

yes I always had problems with that

....how about my theory that it is indeed "the most powerful nuke ever", but it is more "focused" and affects a smaller radius than older model nukes (that is, within the tiny radius it affects, it blows crap back to atoms, but the radius is pretty constricted.

[Reichu]

My own personal suspicion: N2 weapons' specs vary depending on whatever the script wants them to do.

[UrsusArctos]

Indeed. While some real nuclear warheads have "dial a yield" provisions so that the yield can be controlled by the operators (If I remember correctly, the amount of tritium injected into the primary matters), the script does that for the N2 weapons.

[V]

....did we ever figure out if N2 Bombs are just advanced conventional bombs, essentialy like the MOAB system,

or that they are a form of advanced neutron bomb, etc?

[slothen]

yes I always had problems with that

....how about my theory that it is indeed "the most powerful nuke ever", but it is more "focused" and affects a smaller radius than older model nukes (that is, within the tiny radius it affects, it blows crap back to atoms, but the radius is pretty constricted.

How the hell do you control the radius of an explosion? More specifically, how would you focus the destructive force of an explosion within a certain radius? That doesn't really make sense to me, you may be able to adjust the yield, but after that it should just operate on the inverse square law the farther you are from the center of the explosion.

[V]

well like Alpha decay and such; it's got a finite range.

[UrsusArctos]

Alpha decay has a finite range? What in the world are you saying?

Alpha particles have a finite pentetrative power but Alpha decay- the process- does not have a "finite range" as you call it. Alpha particles are not force carriers.

[V]

not really a range but certain radiation can't penetrate very well


to repeat my question: did we ever figure out if N2 Bombs are just advanced conventional bombs, essentialy like the MOAB system,

or that they are a form of advanced neutron bomb, etc?

[Sir Doober]

The MOAB system pretty much sprays aerosol-ized petrol everywhere and then ignites, making a nice bang and a nice amount of blast/vacuum effect damage too, which isn't much like what we see in Eva, which is basically a nuke in an NBC suit.

[UrsusArctos]

That's the Russian FOAB (Father of all Bombs) you're talking about. The MOAB uses nine tons of good old HE to do the job.

[V]

Question: what's this rumor I hear that "the production notes for the script occassionally refer to them as "P-Bombs" (leading to speculation that they're positron-based)

I'm leaning towards "some form of Clean Bomb using advanced particle physics" (I'd say"Neutron bomb" but those don't cause the physical damage that N2's do).

[Furu]

I've never heard the P-Bomb thing before. Maybe it was in the proposals?

With S2 Engines originally being positron engines, it seems like "Positron" was originally going to be the show's catch-all scientific BS (re: Minovsky Particles in Gundam or Photonic Energy in Mazinger) during the early phases but was dropped except for the various rifles.

As for the notes themselves, that's a new one on me if it were true but if anyone knew it would be someone here. I personally doubt it.

[BobBQ]

I'm leaning towards "some form of Clean Bomb using advanced particle physics"

Some reason a hydrogen bomb sans the uranium casing won't do?

[V]

Have they ever actually tested an H-Bomb without the Uranium?

[UrsusArctos]

Rather ironically, the 57-megaton beast called the Tsar Bomba, the most powerful Hydrogen bomb test of all, was without a final uranium stage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsar_Bomba

Of course, if they tried using that thing in Evangelion, it'd get rid of both the Angel on the receiving end (Zer would be turned to free-floating molecules) and all of Tokyo-3 and the Geofront.

[BEsERk EVA01]

If Nerv could lure Zeruel to a "safe" location like in Sachiel's case, it would've been alright to use the Tsar Bomb. Provided Japan has a dedicated ground for killing Angels on the stop with nukes, that bomb would make history for the Angels.

That bomb is made in the Soviet Union! Horray for Mother Russia!

[V]

Even Tsar Bomba needed SOME Uranium precursor. N2's are described as being a completely "clean" bomb


Well, judging from how it's....deployed, it doesn't seem to be MOAB or FOAB: those things rely on *ingiting the oxygen in the atmosphere* by being detonated in midair: N2 Bombs can be detonated from a stationary position on the ground (Sachiel) and of course....detonated in the vacuum of space (Sahaquiel)

Consequently I question why they tried using N2 bombs on Sahaqueil but failed....then didn't even bother to try using them no Arael. But then again this would have used up screentime that would have been answered ultiamately with just yet another "it's too powerful"

Anyway, they aren't related to MOAB or FOAB apparently, nor do they seem to be a further development of conventional explosives.

I guess the "We were going to call it Positron Bomb originally as "positrons" is our catch-all pseudo-science term" interpretation is the most probable:

it's based on some new advancement in particle physics.

It's probably not "a neutron bomb" as even those leave some actual fallout, and moreover, just don't work that way: the idea behind a neutron bomb is similar to EMP weapons: both are actually based on detonating a bomb in the upper atmopshere, beyond the range at which the full blast would actually hit the ground; just the EMP or Neutron blast.

N2's meanwhile, have been detonated at ground-level, repeatedly and intentionally, which really isn't how Neutron bombs are employed.

Thus, "it's based on some new advancement in particle physics and is a "clean bomb""

*****Do N2 bombs leave an EMP pulse? I thought they didn't but I heard someone say they did.

[master_lloyd]

*****Do N2 bombs leave an EMP pulse? I thought they didn't but I heard someone say they did.

In ep1 N2 Mine disables comms for a minute, then the screen comes back on... if that's any help.

[V]

*****Do N2 bombs leave an EMP pulse? I thought they didn't but I heard someone say they did.

In ep1 N2 Mine disables comms for a minute, then the screen comes back on... if that's any help.

yeah but that's just "EM Interference" that's not the same as an "EMP" like Goldeneye.....

....I'm going to go with "no", because otherwise ALL electrical circuits like Misato's car would have been utterly fried.

[BEsERk EVA01]

I think Nerv couldn't be bothered to use the N2 aerial bomb against Arael because they'd already know what effect it'll have on it - nothing whatsoever. I think they JUST realised that N2 Bombs have little or no significant imapct on the Angels anyway.