United Kingdom Working on Laser Capable of Creating Conditions of a Nuclear Explosion
Jan. 20 N.T.I. - The United Kingdom is working on a $176 million laser capable of creating the conditions of a thermonuclear explosion, the London Guardian reported today.
The Orion project, which would be built at the Atomic Weapons Establishment in Aldermaston, would only be able to mimic the conditions for a fraction of a second. However, this would allow scientists to hone computer models of nuclear explosions. The project is also meant to attract and keep young scientists, according to the Guardian.
The West Berkshire Council next week has its last chance to object to construction of Orion and other facilities at Aldermaston. If approved, work on the laser could begin.
Antinuclear protesters claim the laser would be used to develop the next generation of British nuclear weapons. They are pushing for a public investigation into the project.
“This is of major national importance and shouldn't be put through on the nod at a local planning committee meeting in a church hall,” said Di MacDonald of the Nuclear Information Service. “Given the number of objections, the planning committee would be well within its remit to pass this back to the government to raise a public inquiry.”
The United Kingdom hopes to have Orion in operation by 2010. It is expected to work by placing a 1-millimeter piece of material in a 6-ton hollow aluminum sphere. This material would be struck with lasers from 10 angles and crunched to the width of a human hair. Two additional lasers would then fire, heating the material to 3 million degrees Calvin.
“[It] replicates in the lab on a very small scale conditions that would exist at the heart of a nuclear detonation on a minute scale for one thousandth of a millionth of a second,” said a Defense Ministry spokesman.
Former Atomic Weapons Establishment scientist Frank Barnaby said Orion would only tangentially help warhead development.
“I think it's a genuine misunderstanding. There are so many designs already available, it's hard to see the need for a new one,” he said. “What you do need is to maintain a team of scientists who could develop a nuclear weapon if you ever wanted them to and that is a national asset. But in order to get young people to join and stay, you've got to excite them. Orion and supercomputers have a definite element of keeping together the team and getting them to stay” (Ian Sample, Guardian, Jan. 20).
The Orion project, which would be built at the Atomic Weapons Establishment in Aldermaston, would only be able to mimic the conditions for a fraction of a second. However, this would allow scientists to hone computer models of nuclear explosions. The project is also meant to attract and keep young scientists, according to the Guardian.
The West Berkshire Council next week has its last chance to object to construction of Orion and other facilities at Aldermaston. If approved, work on the laser could begin.
Antinuclear protesters claim the laser would be used to develop the next generation of British nuclear weapons. They are pushing for a public investigation into the project.
“This is of major national importance and shouldn't be put through on the nod at a local planning committee meeting in a church hall,” said Di MacDonald of the Nuclear Information Service. “Given the number of objections, the planning committee would be well within its remit to pass this back to the government to raise a public inquiry.”
The United Kingdom hopes to have Orion in operation by 2010. It is expected to work by placing a 1-millimeter piece of material in a 6-ton hollow aluminum sphere. This material would be struck with lasers from 10 angles and crunched to the width of a human hair. Two additional lasers would then fire, heating the material to 3 million degrees Calvin.
“[It] replicates in the lab on a very small scale conditions that would exist at the heart of a nuclear detonation on a minute scale for one thousandth of a millionth of a second,” said a Defense Ministry spokesman.
Former Atomic Weapons Establishment scientist Frank Barnaby said Orion would only tangentially help warhead development.
“I think it's a genuine misunderstanding. There are so many designs already available, it's hard to see the need for a new one,” he said. “What you do need is to maintain a team of scientists who could develop a nuclear weapon if you ever wanted them to and that is a national asset. But in order to get young people to join and stay, you've got to excite them. Orion and supercomputers have a definite element of keeping together the team and getting them to stay” (Ian Sample, Guardian, Jan. 20).
posted by Marko at 1/20/2006 01:22:00 PM
<< Home