[PDF] Laser Isotope Separation And The Future Of Nuclear Proliferation eBook

Author : Ruben M. Serrato
Publisher : Universal-Publishers
Page : 137 pages
File Size : 44,1 MB
Release : 2010-10
Category : History
ISBN : 1599423634

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Laser isotope separation (LIS) is an emerging technology that uses relatively small, widely-available lasers to achieve civilian or weapons grade concentration of fissile material to fuel nuclear reactions. To date only a few, limited proliferation risk analyses of LIS technology have been conducted. This paper provides a historically and technically informed update on the current state of LIS technology and it explains the high likelihood of increased global LIS adoption. The paper also explains how international rules governing nuclear energy are ill-equipped to handle such new technology. It traces the current limitations to broader issues in international relations theory, especially the incomplete accounts of the role of technology in the proliferation dynamic in the dominant neorealism and social construction of technology approaches. The paper introduces the concept of "international technology development structure," a framework for understanding how technology-related opportunities and constraints at the international system-level influence state nuclear weapons choices. The paper provides a thorough update of recent international laser innovations relevant to laser isotope separation and it explains how the spread of laser-related knowledge expands state nuclear options and influences their choices. The paper also provides a country-by-country update on LIS programs and it uses the example of Iran's laser isotope separation program to show how existing International Atomic Energy Agency efforts and export control approaches will be inadequate to addressing dual-use technologies such as LIS. It concludes by proposing a new course that links good standing in nuclear non-proliferation agreements to participation in the World Trade Organization, global conferences, and fundamental university research. Ultimately, the paper attempts to provide a comprehensive account of how emerging laser isotope separation technology presents non-proliferation challenges and it attempts to explore options for addressing this new period in technological achievement and change.

Author :
Publisher :
Page : pages
File Size : 30,11 MB
Release : 2001
Category :
ISBN :

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Two levels of nonproliferation verification exist. Signatories of the basic agreements under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) agree to open their nuclear sites to inspection by the IAEA. A more detailed and intrusive level was developed following the determination that Iraq had begun a nuclear weapons development program that was not detected by the original level of verification methods. This level, referred to as 93+2 and detailed in model protocol INFCIRC/540, allows the IAEA to do environmental monitoring of non-declared facilities that are suspected of containing proliferation activity, and possibly further inspections, as well as allowing more detailed inspections of declared sites. 56 countries have signed a Strengthened Safeguards Systems Additional Protocol as of 16 July 2001. These additional inspections can be done on the instigation of the IAEA itself, or after requests by other parties to the NPT, based on information that they have collected. Since information able to cause suspicion of proliferation could arrive at any country, it is important that countries have procedures in place that will assist them in making decisions related to these inspections. Furthermore, IAEA inspection resources are limited, and therefore care needs to be taken to make best use of these resources. Most of the nonproliferation verification inspections may be concentrated on establishing that diversion of nuclear materials is not occurring, but some fraction will be related to determining if undeclared sites have nuclear materials production taking place within them. Of these, most suspicions will likely be related to the major existing technologies for uranium enrichment and reprocessing for plutonium extraction, as it would seem most likely that nations attempting proliferation would use tested means of producing nuclear materials. However, as technology continues to advance and new methods of enrichment and reprocessing are developed, inspection-related procedures will need to be adapted to keep up with them. In order to make 93+2 inspections more useful, a systematic way of finding clues to nuclear proliferation would be useful. Also, to cope with the possible use of newer technology for proliferation, the list of clues might need to be expanded. This paper discusses the development and recognition of such clues. It concentrates on laser isotope separation (LIS) as a new proliferation technology, and uses Uranium Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation (U-AVLIS) as an example of LIS that is well known.

Author : Allan S. Krass
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 325 pages
File Size : 30,24 MB
Release : 2020-11-20
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 100020054X

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Originally published in 1983, this book presents both the technical and political information necessary to evaluate the emerging threat to world security posed by recent advances in uranium enrichment technology. Uranium enrichment has played a relatively quiet but important role in the history of efforts by a number of nations to acquire nuclear weapons and by a number of others to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. For many years the uranium enrichment industry was dominated by a single method, gaseous diffusion, which was technically complex, extremely capital-intensive, and highly inefficient in its use of energy. As long as this remained true, only the richest and most technically advanced nations could afford to pursue the enrichment route to weapon acquisition. But during the 1970s this situation changed dramatically. Several new and far more accessible enrichment techniques were developed, stimulated largely by the anticipation of a rapidly growing demand for enrichment services by the world-wide nuclear power industry. This proliferation of new techniques, coupled with the subsequent contraction of the commercial market for enriched uranium, has created a situation in which uranium enrichment technology might well become the most important contributor to further nuclear weapon proliferation. Some of the issues addressed in this book are: A technical analysis of the most important enrichment techniques in a form that is relevant to analysis of proliferation risks; A detailed projection of the world demand for uranium enrichment services; A summary and critique of present institutional non-proliferation arrangements in the world enrichment industry, and An identification of the states most likely to pursue the enrichment route to acquisition of nuclear weapons.

Author : Richard Kokoski
Publisher :
Page : 386 pages
File Size : 37,6 MB
Release : 1995
Category : History
ISBN :

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The author focuses on the critical developments, technological in particular, which are currently posing a threat to the nuclear non-proliferation regime. Crucial technologies affecting nuclear weapon proliferation and their potential ramifications for the nuclear non-proliferation regimes as a whole are examined and potential policy options which could ameliorate or eliminate the resulting dangers are analysed and assessed. Developments and problems raised by the Iraqi and North Korean nuclear programmes receive special attention. In particular, recent efforts in strengthening export control regulations on nuclear and dual-use technology and equipment and in improving nuclear safeguards are described and their impact analysed. Of lasting relevance in the non-proliferation context, this book is of particular relevance in the light of the indefinite extension of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Author : Aaron Taylor Baldwin
Publisher :
Page : 132 pages
File Size : 39,49 MB
Release : 2016
Category :
ISBN :

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SILEX is a molecular isotope separation technique that takes advantage of the differing energies of molecular excitations between different isotopes of uranium. This process occurs within a jet of supersonic gas, the gas includes both uranium hexafluoride and a carrier gas, and reportedly allows for high separation factors relative to other isotope-separation processes. Industry interests have argued that it could be readily commercialized. This topic is of particular interest because laser isotope separation technology has seen an increase in interest and funding over the last decade. This suggests some study of the risks that such a technology poses to society may now be in order. To inform policymakers about the risks inherent to a particular enrichment technology, it is necessary to understand the theoretical underpinnings of the technology before one can analyze the impact of the technology. Positions expressed in the current literature are ill-informed and range from deep opposition, citing concerns that SILEX poses greater proliferation risk than centrifuge or gaseous diffusion technology, to claims by scientists that it is not possible to use the technology to produce greater than 50% enriched U-235. A rigorous and holistic view of the technology will better inform policy by improving the accuracy of claims and identifying realistic solutions to problems the technology may pose. This thesis will seek to provide this deeply technical and holistic analysis of the technology, and will use the results to interpret the economic and proliferation impact such a technology will have on the global nuclear enterprise. The holistic analysis in this thesis will present several important conclusions: 1) the enrichment factor of SILEX is not quite as large as proponents suggest; 2) asymmetric cascade designs will be required; 3) SILEX may not be cheaper than centrifuge facilities; 4) SILEX will not be viable without improvements in laser technology; and 5) international policies may be the most effective means of curtailing enrichment schemes like SILEX.

Author : Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Publisher :
Page : 516 pages
File Size : 10,21 MB
Release : 1978
Category : Nuclear nonproliferation
ISBN :

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SCOTT (copy 1) From the John Holmes Library collection.