Nuclear weapons in terrorist hands?January 16, 2004Are nuclear weapons of the simpler variety in the hands of a terrorist group- a realistic threat? That question has been studied in a report from FOI (Swedish Defence Research Agency), and the conclusion is that the possibility of nuclear charges being used for terror ends cannot be written off. How hard is it to make a functioning primitive nuclear charge? What competences and resources are required? Is it possible to get hold of functioning raw materials? Is it possible to use radiation detection to reveal nuclear weapons or nuclear weapon materials? What impact would a primitive nuclear charge have if it exploded in a densely populated area? These are some of the questions addressed and answered by a team of scientists at FOI in Sweden in a new report. The report finds that the risk of a terrorist group assembling a primitive nuclear charge that could produce a nuclear explosion is great enough to be taken seriously. The most critical aspect for such a group is getting hold of usable fission material, that is, enriched uranium or plutonium. It is most probable that this material would be illegally bought or stolen. Materials from facilities in the former Soviet Union are most likely to wind up in the wrong hands. The US and Russia are jointly working to establish better security by various measures. For example, highly enriched uranium from Soviet-built research reactors in Eastern Europe are starting to be transferred to Russia for more secure control. Nevertheless, incidents such as the one in November 2003, in which a top representative of Atomflot on the Kola Peninsula confessed at a trial that he had taken with him considerable amounts of highly enriched uranium, show that it is possible to procure such uranium, and this happened only recently. The report concludes that the technological threshold for producing an explosion is comparatively low, but it still requires a knowledge of physics, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, and explosives. An explosion from a nuclear charge would have a powerful psychological and political impact even though the strength of the blast would be relatively minor. If a terrorist group were to 'succeed' in creating an explosion, the damage done would potentially be extremely comprehensive, according to the researchers. Finally, the possibility of detecting nuclear charges by radiation is discussed, an issue that has been the object of much deliberation when it comes to nuclear weapons. It is probable that a simple nuclear charge would be easier to expose than a more sophisticated weapon, the team concludes. VetenskapsrÃdet (The Swedish Research Council) |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Related Nuclear Current Events and Nuclear News Articles SNM applauds House action to build medical isotopes reactor in the US SNM applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for its passage of H.R. 3276-the American Medical Isotopes Production Act of 2009. Carbon atmosphere discovered on neutron star Evidence for a thin veil of carbon has been found on the neutron star in the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant. This discovery, made with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, resolves a ten-year mystery surrounding this object. High-performance plasmas may make reliable, efficient fusion power a reality In the quest to produce nuclear fusion energy, researchers from the DIII-D National Fusion Facility have recently confirmed long-standing theoretical predictions that performance, efficiency and reliability are simultaneously obtained in tokamaks, the leading magnetic confinement fusion device, operating at their performance limits. Study reveals a 'missing link' in immune response to disease The immune system's T cells have the unique responsibilities of being both jury and executioner. They examine other cells for signs of disease, including cancers or infections, and, if such evidence is found, rid them from the body. Precisely how T cells shift so swiftly from one role to another, however, has been a mystery. Rice U. lab leads hunt for new zeolites In all the world, there are about 200 types of zeolite, a compound of silicon, aluminum and oxygen that gives civilization such things as laundry detergent, kitty litter and gasoline. But thanks to computations by Rice University professor Michael Deem and his colleagues, it appears there are -- or could be -- more types of zeolites than once thought. Developmental drug may help bone fractures heal after radiation exposure A drug currently under development by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine may help bone fractures heal more quickly after radiation exposure, according to a study by Pitt researchers. LANL Roadrunner models nonlinear physics of high-power lasers For years scientists have struggled with the difficult physics of inertial confinement fusion. This is the attempt to compress a target capsule containing isotopes of hydrogen with high-powered lasers to high enough pressure and temperature to initiate fusion burn. Endocrine Society calls for expanded scope and funding for stem cell research Stem cell research holds great promise for the treatment of millions of Americans with debilitating and possibly fatal diseases. Magnetic mixing creates quite a stir Sandia researchers have developed a process that can mix tiny volumes of liquid, even in complicated spaces. Science at the Petascale: Roadrunner Results Unveiled The world's fastest supercomputer, Roadrunner, at Los Alamos National Laboratory has completed its initial "shakedown" phase doing accelerated petascale computer modeling and simulations of a variety of unclassified, fundamental science projects. More Nuclear Current Events and Nuclear News Articles |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||