| Author | Message | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 3112 Registered: 5-2003 |
The second problem could also have been discovered in testing -- if they had done it elsewhere. | ||
| Galfisk (Galfisk)
New member Username: Galfisk Post Number: 2310 Registered: 9-2009 |
Was the second problem that the torpedo from your previous puzzle didn't always explode? If so, was it supposed to explode: after a set time? After moving a set distance? At contact? When detecting proximity? When receiving a signal? Was there something wrong with the fuze? Elsewhere: at another testing facility? Another place on the globe? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 3114 Registered: 5-2003 |
Was the second problem that the torpedo from your previous puzzle didn't always explode? No. If so, was it supposed to explode: after a set time? No. After moving a set distance? No. At contact? No. When detecting proximity? Yes. When receiving a signal? No. Was there something wrong with the fuze? No. Elsewhere: at another testing facility? Another place on the globe? This. Good questions. | ||
| Galfisk (Galfisk)
New member Username: Galfisk Post Number: 2312 Registered: 9-2009 |
Was the second problem with the torpedo itself? We're speaking about the same torpedo as in your previous puzzle, right? If so, was the problem with the propulsion system? Did the problem make it explode at an incorrect time? Magnetic fields relevant? Was the second problem related to the first one? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 3127 Registered: 5-2003 |
Was the second problem with the torpedo itself? No. We're speaking about the same torpedo as in your previous puzzle, right? Yes. If so, was the problem with the propulsion system? No. Did the problem make it explode at an incorrect time? Yes. Magnetic fields relevant? Yes. Was the second problem related to the first one? A little. | ||
| Galfisk (Galfisk)
New member Username: Galfisk Post Number: 2317 Registered: 9-2009 |
Did it explode: too soon? Too late? Randomly? Was it supposed to detect steel hulls? By means of magnetism? Is the earth's magnetic field relevant? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 3129 Registered: 5-2003 |
Did it explode: too soon? This. Too late? Randomly? Was it supposed to detect steel hulls? In a sense. By means of magnetism? Yes. Is the earth's magnetic field relevant? Yes. | ||
| Galfisk (Galfisk)
New member Username: Galfisk Post Number: 2323 Registered: 9-2009 |
Does it detect when a steel ship distorts the natural magnetic field? Did this not work everywhere in the world? Did it not work where the field was: weaker? Stronger? Weird? Is the angle of the magnetic field lines compared to the earth's surface relevant? It did detect the ships, but thought they were closer than they really were, correct? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 3131 Registered: 5-2003 |
Does it detect when a steel ship distorts the natural magnetic field? Something like that, I think. Did this not work everywhere in the world? It works everywhere. Did it not work where the field was: weaker? Stronger? Weird? Just... different. Is the angle of the magnetic field lines compared to the earth's surface relevant? Hmm, I don't think so. They would probably be different, though. It did detect the ships, but thought they were closer than they really were, correct? "Think" and "detect" aren't the right words. But technically, yes. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 1482 Registered: 4-2010 |
Did radar distort the magnetic field? And cause the explosive to go off? | ||
| Galfisk (Galfisk)
New member Username: Galfisk Post Number: 2336 Registered: 9-2009 |
Did it malfunction closer to the: north pole? South pole? Equator? Some magnetic anomaly? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 3135 Registered: 5-2003 |
Did radar distort the magnetic field? And cause the explosive to go off? No to both. Did it malfunction closer to the: north pole? South pole? Equator? This. Some magnetic anomaly? | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 1519 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is the Earth's magnetic field stronger at the Equator? Weaker? Whichever it is, did the change in magnetic field cause the torpedo to detect incorrectly? And thus explode too soon? Was the testing done at one of the Poles? Close to it? | ||
| Galfisk (Galfisk)
New member Username: Galfisk Post Number: 2346 Registered: 9-2009 |
Did it happen because the magnetic field lines are more parallel to the earth's surface near the equator? Meaning a disturbance in the field will be detectable at a greater distance? (I'm not entirely sure if this is correct physics, but it makes sense to me at a glance) | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 3137 Registered: 5-2003 |
Is the Earth's magnetic field stronger at the Equator? Weaker? Neither. Whichever it is, did the change in magnetic field cause the torpedo to detect incorrectly? Yes. And thus explode too soon? Yes. Was the testing done at one of the Poles? Close to it? Neither. Did it happen because the magnetic field lines are more parallel to the earth's surface near the equator? Meaning a disturbance in the field will be detectable at a greater distance? Yes, I think. (I'm not entirely sure if this is correct physics, but it makes sense to me at a glance) It's close enough. ******************** Explody Spoilers ******************** The US Navy's Mark 14 torpedo had a unique, expensive, and high-tech feature called a magnetic exploder. It would go off when entering a ship's magnetic field rather than by hitting the ship directly. The idea was for the torpedo to pass under the ship, going off under its keel. Water would magnify the explosion and essentially break the ship's back. It didn't work in practice. Tests in the North Atlantic were all right, and German U-boats used a similar torpedo to varying effect. But in the South Pacific, near the equator, where almost all USN subs operated, the magnetic field is different. Rather than only extending under a ship, it flattens and spreads out. So if a torpedo did not pass underneath and thus miss the magnetic field entirely, it met the field as much as a mile away from the ship, where going off could do nothing but waste a torpedo and alert the enemy. The Mark 14 was a disaster, and most submarine skippers simply deactivated the magnetic exploder and used the contact exploder instead. This leads to the final puzzle... |
