Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Antineutrino Detection Is About To Change the Game In Nuclear Verification (thebulletin.org)

Posted by Soulskill on from the change-the-game-to-chess,-that's-a-fun-game dept.

Lasrick writes: There may be a new option for the detection of illicit nuclear weapons programs worldwide: Antineutrino detection is an existing technology that, if political and diplomatic hurdles are overcome, could be put in place before the 10-year ban on Iranian enrichment R&D is lifted. Difficult to evade, antineutrino detection technology could allow the international community to reliably monitor a country's nuclear activities in real-time, potentially without setting foot in the country. Similar in cost and technological scale to the space-borne reconnaissance methods governments use for detection today, antineutrino detection could not only help identify undeclared nuclear reactors, but could monitor nuclear facilities and detonations throughout the Middle East and beyond.

5 of 139 comments (clear)

  1. Maintaining status quo... by vvaduva · · Score: 1, Insightful

    So in essence, this new method would allow the existing superpowers to continue to keep their boots on the throats of developing countries who may want to pursue nuclear ambitions.

    1. Re:Maintaining status quo... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      And how is that a bad thing?

    2. Re:Maintaining status quo... by bobbied · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It sounds like you think that might be a bad thing....

      Only TWO weapons of this type have been used in war, by ONE country in ONE war which was over 70 years ago. We all know the affect this had, the loss of life it caused and the moral implications of having used the weapons. Why is it a bad thing to *limit* the number of countries which have the ability to cause such destruction? Especially in the case where the major countries that *have* such weapons have shown great restraint for nearly as long as the weapons have existed.

      Like it or not, there ARE crazies out there that wouldn't use the same logic in their moral and ethical views, but would gladly use such weapons to their advantage. It only makes sense to go to great pains to prohibit proliferation of such weapons for the good of all. It's not about keeping the lessor nations under control, but protecting the planet from those who don't hold the same value of life that prevents such weapons from being used now.

      --
      "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
    3. Re:Maintaining status quo... by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Why is it a bad thing to *limit* the number of countries which have the ability to cause such destruction? Especially in the case where the major countries that *have* such weapons have shown great restraint for nearly as long as the weapons have existed.

      When a country has nuclear weapons, the US stops meddling in its internal affairs and begins to treat it as an equal.

  2. Detect submarines ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Could this technology be used to detect nuclear submarines ?