ScienceDaily: Weapons Technology News

Research effort deep underground could sort out cosmic-scale mysteries

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:43:43 EDT

Scientists have begun delivery of germanium-76 detectors to an underground laboratory in South Dakota in a team research effort that might explain the puzzling imbalance between matter and antimatter generated by the Big Bang.

Cancer and birth defects in Iraq: The nuclear legacy

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:55:55 EDT

Ten years after the Iraq war of 2003 a team of scientists based in Mosul, northern Iraq, have detected high levels of uranium contamination in soil samples at three sites in the province of Nineveh which, coupled with dramatically increasing rates of childhood cancers and birth defects at local hospitals, highlight the ongoing legacy of modern warfare to civilians in conflict zones.

Scientists uncover fundamental property of astatine -- rarest naturally occurring element on Earth

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:27:27 EDT

Scientists have carried out ground-breaking experiments to investigate the atomic structure of astatine (atomic number 85), the rarest naturally occurring element on Earth. Through experiments conducted at the radioactive isotope facility ISOLDE at CERN, scientists have accessed, for the first time, the ionization potential of the astatine atom. The successful measurement fills a long-standing gap in Mendeleev's periodic table, since astatine was the last element present in nature for which this fundamental property was unknown.

Scientists demonstrate pear shaped atomic nuclei

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:43:43 EDT

Scientists have shown that some atomic nuclei can assume the shape of a pear which contributes to our understanding of nuclear structure and the underlying fundamental interactions.

Cleaner, low temperature nuclear fuels?

Tue, 07 May 2013 11:55:55 EDT

The search for cleaner, low temperature nuclear fuels has produced a surprising result for a team of experts. First they created a stable version of a 'trophy molecule' that has eluded scientists for decades. Now they have discovered that the bonding within this molecule is far different than expected. Remarkably their findings have shown that it behaves in much the same way as its counterparts in the well-known transitional metals such as chromium, molybdenum and tungsten.

One step closer to a quantum computer

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:24:24 EDT

Scientists have succeeded in both initializing and reading nuclear spins, relevant to qubits for quantum computers, at room temperature.

The future of our energy

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:48:48 EDT

When it comes to sustainable energy supplies hydroelectric plants are usually the best solution, according to researchers who have reviewed the economic, social and environmental impact of fuel provision.

After Newtown: A new use for a weapons-detecting radar?

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:20:20 EDT

In the aftermath of the Newtown school shooting, an engineering professor envisions a new use for a weapons-detecting radar system he's been developing for the past few years.

Detecting cesium with naked eyes

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 09:08:08 EDT

Micrometer-level naked-eye detection of cesium ions, a major source of contamination in the vicinity of radioactive leaks, is demonstrated in a material developed by researchers in Japan.

Researchers find link to arsenic-contaminated groundwater

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:15:15 EST

A team of researchers has found that the arsenic in groundwater in the region is part of a natural process that predates any recent human interaction, such as intensive pumping.

U.S. may face inevitable nuclear power exit

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:29:29 EST

In the third and final issue in a series focused on nuclear exits, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, published by SAGE, turns its attention to the United States and looks at whether the country's business-as-usual approach may yet lead to a nuclear phase-out for economic reasons.

Potential benefits of inertial fusion energy justify continued research and development

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:40:40 EST

The potential benefits of successful development of an inertial confinement fusion-based energy technology justify investment in fusion energy research.

Mix uranium from Russian nuclear weapons with Norwegian rock, researcher says

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 07:52:52 EST

The USA uses uranium from Russian nuclear weapons as fuel in its civilian nuclear power plants. If the weapon-grade uranium is mixed with the Norwegian element thorium, the waste becomes 95 per cent less radioactive, a researcher has found.

Fluorescent label sheds light on radioactive contamination

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 14:12:12 EST

Researchers have developed a way to detect caesium contamination on a scale of millimeters enabling the detection of small areas of radioactive contamination.

High plutonium breeding of light water cooled reactors

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 08:48:48 EST

Scientists have developed the world's first conceptual nuclear reactor design of high plutonium breeding by light water cooling.

New clean nuclear fusion reactor designed

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 09:25:25 EST

Researchers have patented a nuclear fusion reactor by inertial confinement that, apart from be used to generate electric power in plants, can be applied to propel ships. This invention helps solve the problem of contamination risk associated with the generation of nuclear fission power.

NASA researchers studying advanced nuclear rocket technologies

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 10:35:35 EST

Advanced propulsion researchers at NASA are a step closer to solving the challenge of safely sending human explorers to Mars and other solar system destinations. By using an innovative test facility at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, researchers are able to use non-nuclear materials to simulate nuclear thermal rocket fuels -- ones capable of propelling bold new exploration missions to the Red Planet and beyond.

Graphene oxide soaks up radioactive waste: U.S., Russian researchers collaborate on solution to toxic groundwater woes

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 11:24:24 EST

Graphene oxide has a remarkable ability to quickly remove radioactive material from contaminated water, researchers in the United States and Russia have found. The discovery could be a boon in the cleanup of contaminated sites like the Fukushima nuclear plants damaged by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. It could also cut the cost of hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") for oil and gas recovery and help reboot American mining of rare earth metals.

A French nuclear exit?

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 13:09:09 EST

France has been held up, worldwide, as the forerunner in using nuclear fission to produce electricity. However, a third of the nation's nuclear reactors will need replacing in the next decade, and public opinion has shifted toward reducing reliance on nuclear power.

Investigating ocean currents using uranium-236 from the 1960s

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 12:16:16 EST

New research has identified the bomb-pulse of uranium-236 in corals from the Caribbean Sea for the first time. 236U was distributed world-wide in the period of atmospheric nuclear testing in the 1960s. Readily dissolved in seawater it is an ideal tool for investigating ocean currents.

Proliferation warnings on nuclear 'wonder-fuel', thorium

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 13:22:22 EST

Thorium is being touted as an ideal fuel for a new generation of nuclear power plants, but new research suggests it may not be as benign as portrayed.

Novel power system for space travel tested

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:13:13 EST

Engineers have demonstrated a new concept for a reliable nuclear reactor that could be used on space flights.

Chernobyl cleanup workers had significantly increased risk of leukemia

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 07:36:36 EST

A 20-year study following 110,645 workers who helped clean up after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in the former Soviet territory of Ukraine shows that the workers share a significant increased risk of developing leukemia. The results may help scientists better define cancer risk associated with low doses of radiation from medical diagnostic radiation procedures such as computed tomography scans and other sources.

Self-powered sensors to monitor nuclear fuel rod status

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 12:39:39 EDT

Japan's Fukushima Dai'ichi nuclear disaster that occurred in 2011 -- a result of the strongest earthquake on record in the country and the powerful tsunami waves it triggered -- underscored the need for a method to monitor the status of nuclear fuel rods that doesn't rely on electrical power.

Cosmic rays could assist in healing Fukushima's nuclear scar

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 13:20:20 EDT

Researchers from Los Alamos National Laboratory have devised a method to use cosmic rays to gather detailed information from inside the damaged cores of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactors, which were heavily damaged in March 2011 by a tsunami that followed a great earthquake.

New weapons detail reveals true depth of Cuban Missile Crisis

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 07:47:47 EDT

The Cuban Missile Crisis took place 50 years ago this October, when US and Soviet leaders pulled back from the very brink of nuclear war. This was the closest the world has come to nuclear war, but exactly how close has been a matter of some speculation. The conflict, itself, has been analyzed and interpreted, but the number and types of nuclear weapons that were operational have not. According to fresh analysis senior experts calculate the nature of weapons capabilities on both sides, and write that the situation was even more perilous than history has previously acknowledged.

Terrorism risk greatest for subway/rail commuters

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 14:14:14 EDT

Despite homeland security improvements since 9/11, subway and rail commuters face higher risks of terror than frequent flyers or those engaged in virtually any other activity. While successful terrorist acts against aviation fell sharply, those against subways and commuter trains surged.

Cold cases heat up through new approach to identifying remains

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:14:14 EDT

In an effort to identify the thousands of John/Jane Doe cold cases in the United States, scientists have found a multidisciplinary approach to identifying the remains of missing persons. Using "bomb pulse" radiocarbon analysis, combined with recently developed anthropological analysis and forensic DNA techniques, the researchers were able to identify the remains of a missing child 41 years after the discovery of the body.

2010 Korea bomb 'tests' probably false alarms, says study

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 12:17:17 EDT

This spring, a Swedish scientist sparked international concern with a journal article saying that radioactive particles detected in 2010 showed North Korea had set off at least two small nuclear blasts -- possibly in experiments designed to boost yields of much larger bombs. Separate claims surfaced that intelligence agencies suspected the detonations were done in cooperation with Iran. Now, a new paper says the tests likely never took place -- or that if they did, they were too tiny to have any military significance.

Restricting nuclear power has little effect on the cost of climate policies

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:19:19 EDT

By applying a global energy-economy computer simulation that fully captures the competition between alternative power supply technologies, a team of scientists analyzed trade-offs between nuclear and climate policies. Strong greenhouse-gas emissions reduction to mitigate global warming shows to have much larger impact on economics than nuclear policy, according to the study.

Sandia experts help when sinkhole opens up in Louisiana

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 09:12:12 EDT

The U.S. Geological Survey turned to Sandia National Laboratories for help when the earth opened up last month near Bayou Corne, La.

Twenty-three nuclear power plants found to be in tsunami risk areas

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 08:32:32 EDT

Tsunamis are synonymous with the destruction of cities, and homes and since the Japanese coast was devastated in March 2011 we now know that they cause nuclear disaster, endanger the safety of the population and pollute the environment. As such phenomena are still difficult to predict, a team of scientists has assessed "potentially dangerous" areas that are home to completed nuclear plants or those under construction.

Study explores injury risk in military Humvee crashes

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 14:20:20 EDT

A new report examines the risk factors for injuries to U.S. military personnel from crashes involving highly mobile multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWVs), more commonly known as Humvees. According to the study, involvement in combat and serving as the vehicle’s operator or gunner posed the greatest risk for injury. It is the first published analysis of factors associated with Humvee injury risk in a deployed setting.

Boston subway system to be used to test new sensors for biological agents

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 13:02:02 EDT

The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate has scheduled a series of tests in the Boston subways to measure the real-world performance of new sensors recently developed to detect biological agents within minutes.

Glass offers improved means of storing nuclear waste, researchers say

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 10:11:11 EDT

Researchers have shown, for the first time, that a method of storing nuclear waste normally used only for high level waste, could provide a safer, more efficient, and potentially cheaper, solution for the storage and ultimate disposal of intermediate level waste.

New era in camouflage makeup: Shielding soldiers from searing heat of bomb blasts

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 09:15:15 EDT

Camouflage face make-up for warfare is undergoing one of the most fundamental changes in thousands of years, as scientists have described a new face paint that both hides soldiers from the enemy and shields their faces from the searing heat of bomb blasts. Firefighters also could benefit from the new heat-resistant makeup.

Fueling nuclear power with seawater: Tests adsorbent to extract uranium from the ocean

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 21:26:26 EDT

A new absorbent material may be able to soak up enough trace uranium in seawater to help fuel future nuclear power plants. Tests showed the material can soak up more than two times the uranium than a similar material developed in Japan.

Toward a portable emergency treatment for stopping life-threatening internal bleeding

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 16:08:08 EDT

Progress is being made toward a new emergency treatment for internal bleeding - counterpart to the tourniquets, pressure bandages and Quick Clot products that keep people from bleeding to death from external wounds.

Chemical physics: NO place for nitrogen

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 12:12:12 EDT

The finding that nitrogen can combine with oxygen in zirconia to form NO molecules may lead to safer materials for nuclear reactors.

Taking the edge off a pipe bomb -- literally

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 09:30:30 EDT

A new device for dismantling pipe bombs may look like a tinkerer's project, but it's sophisticated enough to do the job and preserve the forensic evidence.

Advanced explosives detector sniffs out previously undetectable amounts of TNT

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 12:19:19 EDT

With the best explosive detectors often unable to sniff out the tiny amounts of TNT released from terrorist bombs in airports and other public places, scientists are reporting a potential solution. New research describes the development of a device that concentrates TNT vapors in the air so that they become more detectable.

New approaches needed for uncovering, identifying, and treating buried chemical warfare material

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:08:08 EDT

The current approach for identifying and destroying buried chemical munitions and related chemical warfare materials uncovered during environmental remediation projects is neither reliable enough nor has the capability to efficiently tackle large-scale projects, says a new report.

Ecosystems reveal radiation secrets: Transfer of radioactive compounds is not straightforward

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 10:30:30 EDT

A new study casts doubt over the validity of models used to assess the impact of radiation on human health.

Global health impacts of the Fukushima nuclear disaster

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 08:49:49 EDT

In the first detailed analysis of the global health effects of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster, researchers estimate the number of deaths and cases of cancer worldwide resulting from the release of radiation.

Nuclear weapons' surprising contribution to climate science

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 09:16:16 EDT

Nuclear weapons testing may at first glance appear to have little connection with climate change research. But key Cold War research laboratories and the science used to track radioactivity and model nuclear bomb blasts have today been repurposed by climate scientists.

'Trophy molecule' breakthrough may result in cleaner, cooler nuclear energy

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 13:35:35 EDT

Experts have created a stable version of a ‘trophy molecule’ that has eluded scientists for decades. They have prepared a terminal uranium nitride compound which is stable at room temperature and can be stored in jars in crystallized or powder form. The breakthrough could have future implications for the nuclear energy industry — uranium nitride materials may potentially offer a viable alternative to the current mixed oxide nuclear fuels used in reactors since nitrides exhibit superior high densities, melting points, and thermal conductivities and the process the scientists used to make the compound could offer a cleaner, low temperature route than methods currently used.

Colorful light at the end of the tunnel for radiation detection

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 11:56:56 EDT

Nanomaterials researchers have developed a new technique for radiation detection that could make radiation detection in cargo and baggage more effective and less costly for homeland security inspectors.

Nuclear landscape mapped: Number of isotopes allowed by laws of physics calculated

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 14:25:25 EDT

A supercomputer has calculated the number of isotopes allowed by the laws of physics. Physicists used a quantum approach known as density functional theory, applying it independently to six leading models of the nuclear interaction to determine that there are about 7,000 possible combinations of protons and neutrons allowed in bound nuclei with up to 120 protons (a hypothetical element called "unbinilium").

National Research Council presents long-term priorities for U.S. nuclear physics program

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 13:18:18 EDT

Nuclear physics is a discovery-driven enterprise aimed at understanding the fundamental nature of visible matter in the universe. For the past hundred years, new knowledge of the nuclear world has also directly benefited society through many innovative applications. In its fourth decadal survey of nuclear physics, the National Research Council outlines the impressive accomplishments of the field in the last decade and recommends a long-term strategy for the future.

Where to put nuclear waste: My backyard?

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 10:39:39 EDT

Researchers in Finland have found that acceptance of the site of a spent nuclear fuel repository can depend on gender and economic background. Affluent men more often have a positive opinion on the location of such facilities than women or disadvantaged people.

Lessons learned in the aftermath of Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 16:16:16 EDT

An ASME Task Force released recommendations for a new nuclear safety construct that will reach beyond the traditional regulatory framework of adequate protection of public health and safety to minimize socio-political and economic consequences caused by radioactive releases from accidents.

Nuclear weapon simulations show performance in molecular detail

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:59:59 EDT

US researchers are perfecting simulations that show a nuclear weapon's performance in precise molecular detail, tools that are becoming critical for national defense because international treaties forbid the detonation of nuclear test weapons.

Severe nuclear reactor accidents likely every 10 to 20 years, European study suggests

Tue, 22 May 2012 13:49:49 EDT

Western Europe has the worldwide highest risk of radioactive contamination caused by major reactor accidents. Catastrophic nuclear accidents such as the core meltdowns in Chernobyl and Fukushima are more likely to happen than previously assumed. Based on the operating hours of all civil nuclear reactors and the number of nuclear meltdowns that have occurred, scientists have calculated that such events may occur once every 10 to 20 years (based on the current number of reactors) -- some 200 times more often than estimated in the past.

New look at prolonged radiation exposure: At low dose-rate, radiation poses little risk to DNA, study suggests

Tue, 15 May 2012 18:12:12 EDT

A new study suggests that the guidelines governments use to determine when to evacuate people following a nuclear accident may be too conservative.

Gamma ray optics: a viable tool for a new branch of scientific discovery

Fri, 04 May 2012 11:00:00 EDT

There has been a surprise discovery of ‘significant’ refraction of gamma rays which opens the door to nuclear photonics and the use of high energetic light beams to investigate the atomic nucleus. Isotope specific gamma ray microscopes could remotely search for harmful nuclear materials or provide less destructive and more selective medical imaging.

Novel radiation surveillance technology could help thwart nuclear terrorism

Tue, 01 May 2012 14:50:50 EDT

Researchers have developed a prototype radiation-detection system that uses rare-earth elements and other materials at the nanoscale. The system could be used to enhance radiation-detection devices used at ports, border crossings, airports and elsewhere.

Contributing to the nuclear fusion project

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:01:01 EDT

Many regard nuclear fusion as the main energy source of the future. Among others, the ITER project is seeking to turn this venture into reality and is making use of the Tokamak reactor for this purpose. Reactors of this type have a number of control problems, and to solve them the electronics engineers have come up with some tools.

Costs of 'dirty bomb' attack in Los Angeles

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:13:13 EDT

A dirty bomb attack centered on downtown Los Angeles’ financial district could severely impact the region’s economy to the tune of nearly $16 billion, fueled primarily by psychological effects that could persist for a decade, researchers say.

Scientists track radioactive iodine in New Hampshire from Japan nuclear reactor meltdown

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:29:29 EDT

Using a new investigative methodology, researchers have found and tracked radioactive iodine in New Hampshire from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

Toward a test strip for detecting TNT and other explosives in water

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:44:44 EDT

Scientists have developed a new explosives detector that can sense small amounts of TNT and other common explosives in liquids instantly with a sensitivity that rivals bomb-sniffing dogs, the current gold standard in protecting the public from terrorist bombs.