Preventing Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

Nonproliferation

It takes only eight kilograms--less than 18 pounds--of plutonium to construct a weapon that creates an explosion the size of the blasts of atomic bombs used in World War II. To prevent the theft or illicit transport of nuclear materials, the Laboratory is taking a three-step approach:

• Detect the presence of materials on a person, container, or vehicle.
• Locate the exact hiding place of the material.
• Identify the nature of the elements. In other words, determine if the material consists of nuclear isotopes, depleted uranium, or stolen reactor fuel.

NEWS

Reading...

LOS ALAMOS SCIENCE
Russian-American Collaborations to Reduce the Nuclear Danger
(Number 24, Summer 1996)