Watching nuclear tests as a foreigner
This question is a bit general because I don't know which, if any, countries will be conducting nuclear tests in the future. Hopefully none!
Are nuclear tests open for foreigners to watch them? I don't know whether it's allowed or not because nuclear tests are often done to indicate a country's capability to other countries, but on the other hand, there can be some secrecy around military-related things.
Are they generally announced ahead of time? And is there anything to "see" (or hear or feel), given that they're most likely underground tests?
Best Answer
The comprehensive Test Ban Treaty CTBT is not currently in force since it's not been ratified by 8 nations (China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, United States). However no tests have been carried out since 1998 other than in North Korea.
You could write to tour agencies (most of which deal with a single North Korean government agency) or even the government of North Korea with a request, I suppose. The North Korean tests were somewhat known in advance. The most recent one was described as an artificial earthquake of magnitude 5.2 which isn't all that big unless you are fairly near. Also countries in general, and probably North Korea in particular, are not keen on random foreigners skulking around military areas. Real earthquakes vary a lot and are not the same as underground tests, but here is a 'shake map' from a (rather larger on the log scale) 5.5 earthquake in California, courtesy of the USGS:
Looks like you'd have to be within a few tens of km to feel anything, which probably means a VIP invitation or nothing.
The purported test area in Punggye-ri is about an 8-hour drive from the capital Pyongyang.
Pictures about "Watching nuclear tests as a foreigner"
Can you visit nuclear test sites?
html. Since the NNSS is a restricted-access government facility, visitors must apply well in advance to attend a tour. Tour participants must be at least 14 years old. Pregnant women are discouraged from participating in tours because of the long bus ride and uneven terrain at the Site.What happens if you watch a nuclear explosion?
Those who look directly at the blast could experience eye damage ranging from temporary blindness to severe burns on the retina. Individuals near the blast site would be exposed to high levels of radiation and could develop symptoms of radiation sickness (called acute radiation syndrome, or ARS).Is it illegal to test nuclear bombs?
Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, formally Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water, treaty signed in Moscow on August 5, 1963, by the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom that banned all tests of nuclear weapons except those conducted underground.How far away do you have to be to not be affected by a nuke?
Heat is the prime concern for those closer to a nuclear blast, with people up to 6.8 miles away suffering first-degree burns and third-degree burns hitting anyone up to 5 miles away.Pokhran II — How India Fooled CIA and Tested its Nuclear Bombs | The American Reaction
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: RODNAE Productions, RODNAE Productions, cottonbro, Mikhail Nilov