If Israel drops a nuclear bunker buster in Iran, can it cause the earth's tectonic plates to shift?

Question

Causing earthquakes all across the world? Has this been done before??

Answer 1

One can only find theoretical answers to this question but almost every one says that yes it is theoreticly possible.
Possible but not probable
The Earths mantle lays approximately 100 km undergound and this is just to touch it but that does not mean we have to go that deep to effect it.
A lot depends upon what is above that mantle and depth at which we set the explosion off.
In what is known as the density and elasticity of the sub surface governs the rate of seismic wave travel, the denser the material the faster the waves travel and the elasticity determines how much of seismic energy is absorbed before wave reaches mantle or Lithosphere.
The deeper the blast the greater the increases in pressure and density.
Now for bunker busters effects, they are made to penetrate to a depth that is, with present technology, only reach approximately 100 to 300 meters underground, of hardend or semi hardened ground but yes the seismic waves would pentrate much deeper but unlikely to produce techtonic plate movement.
Earth quakes will happen in such a scenario but the direction and force of them would in all probability be no more than a 5 through7 on scale.
While most everyone fears a nuke undergorund explosion the New tech of Thors Hammers offers an even more powerfull chance of yes even penetrating to the Lithosphere. Thors Hammer is a Titanium rod of several hundreds if not thousands of pounds dropped from space. Its impace would penetrate even the most highly dense grounds and if it carried within it an explosive device that detonated after stopping at depth, could well do the job.
The size of entrance limiting the release of upward pressure and the aforementioned of depth increasing the speed of seismic waves downward upon an already compacted subfloor by impact of rod.

Answer 2

I've met quite a few Iranian people (ok, most are taxi drivers, in places like London, Vienna, Paris). They are usually quite educated, but working these jobs because their educational background cannot land them a job in their field of expertise. What struck me is that just about all were quite moderate in their views. They don't see any big chasm between American and Iran. They think all the talk on tv is just silly bluster. Remember, after 9-11 the Iranians in Tehran held a touching candle light vigil in memory of the victims. They wept at our loss. This is not the face of Islama fascists. What we are against, is the ignorant backwards, Mullahs who rule them. Iranians tell me the Mullahs are despised. If they could be eliminated, the Iranian people would rise up and take control of the government away from these bearded, smelly, ignorant, intolerant, unwashed relics of a dimmer time. Israel is so fantastic at covert operations, I wonder why they can't target the top twenty Mullahs. It shouldn't be hard to pinpoint where these widely despised "holy men" live. Just elminate them, and watch Iran emerge with a whole, new political face.

Answer 3

It could theoretically cause local earthquakes, depending on how close to faults the bomb was dropped. The area is seismically active. But the greater chances are the earthquakes would be limited to the plate that the middle east sits on that is located between the European, Asian and African plates.

Answer 4

Any explosion can be measured around the globe. The amount of shift of tectonic plates will be insignificant, if any. There will be no earthquakes around the world, but I'd expect long term political instability, increased terrorist attacks, and overal mayhem in response.

Answer 5

Why are people show this much hypocrisy. One country is planning a nuke attack on another and its OK. But we can't give one country permission to get nuclear energy for peaceful purposes just because we think that they MIGHT be interested in nuclear bomb.

Answer 6

That would be one hell of a nuke, 200 megaton at least.
Let's try it and find out in the name of science.

Answer 7

no it will be absorbed by the cosmic filter.

Answer 8

no. unfortunately it will not.