Quote:
Originally Posted by venus
While the NIF laser is expected to be used for a wide range of high-energy and high-density physics experiments, its primary purpose is to help government physicists ensure the reliability of the nation's nuclear weapons as they become older.
The laser 'will be a cornerstone' of the weapons stewardship program, 'ensuring the continuing reliability of the US nuclear stockpile without underground nuclear testing', Thomas D'Agostino, head of the National Nuclear Security Administration, said in an interview on Monday.
The NNSA, a semi-independent arm of the Energy Department, oversees nuclear weapons programs.
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Thanks for the story.
This dovetails with a story that appeared in last month's Institute of
Electrical & Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Spectrum magazine entitled
"What About the Nukes?". This article is also available freely online to
non-IEEE members at
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/mar09/7827
Though President Obama has "expressed an interest" in eventually
eliminating all nuclear weapons, the current policy is that the US still
requires a nuclear deterrent. With the majority of the warheads manufactured
in the late 70's and in the 80's and with an originally anticipated lifetime of 20 to
25 years, the question defense experts there are asking is "how does
one maintain the reliability of such complex systems?" Enter the "Stockpile
Stewardship" program.
I visited the Lawrence Livermore Laboratories in the mid 1980's and as
you drove along the highway, huge wind turbines were scattered
over the hills, their propellers whooshing away. I wonder how many wind turbines
would one need to ignite that laser for even one billionth of one second!
Thanks again for the story