Destroying Nuclear Weapons with High-Energy Neutrinos

Posted by michael on Tuesday May 13, 2003 @01:34PM from the science-fiction dept.

TheMatt writes "As reported by PhysicsWeb, physicists are proposing a "futuristic but not necessarily impossible" method of destroying nuclear weapons via high-energy neutrinos sent through the earth. Based on current planned efforts, this 'vast extrapolation' of current technology would use 1000 TeV beams. This would require a 1000-km diameter storage ring using magnets orders-of-magnitude stronger than currently available. The cost would be around $100 million-plus and it'd use 50 GW of energy, the UK's current consumption. (And the slight problem that the process might set off the nukes, instead of just melting them...)"

1 of 100 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

It would require... by ewhenn · 2003-05-13 13:40 · Score: 4, Insightful

This would require a 1000-km diameter storage ring

Oh, is that all? A mere 1000km storage ring. For you US folks out there, that is approx 600 miles.

On a serious note, what happens if you miss with this thing? It is quite interesting scientifically, however interesting never implies practicality.