US & Russian Military Experiments to create a Nuclear Tsunami – Of what military use is it?

[A reader sent me these comments about the nuclear tsunami idea. I enjoyed the reader's analysis. Some interesting and seemingly sound thinking herein. I've never thought of the destruction of fishing for military purposes. I like interesting military ideas. Jan]

The reader writes:

Impressive BUT there are constraints that need to be considered.

A tsunami depends on the displacement of the column of water above the disturbance. Since continental shelves occur along most Coastlines and will absorb much of the energy of a deep water blast this places a limit on the column of water that can be displaced if detonated over the shelf. Increasing the size of the bomb translates into more energy that will be transferred to the column of water which becomes more of a constant in the equation. That means that more of the blast will be exposed to the atmosphere, more of the water column will vaporise into steam and other gases.

An explosion emanates from a point whereas a natural tsunami is usually a huge ocean floor disturbance that can stretch for miles.

The targeting of these weapons will be of paramount importance in order to have maximum destructive impact on coastal infrastructure. Such as deep fjords or narrow gulfs to focus the energy.

Such a weapon if strategically detonated in some benign location could have a desirable strategic outcome elsewhere, a bit like billiards.

I posit that the long term destruction of fisheries is a more desirable outcome that cannot be overlooked. Another reason why such devices might only be detonated in shallower waters so as not wipe out Global fisheries.