Modern Advancements in Post-Detonation Nuclear Forensic Analysis

Abstract

Deterring nuclear terrorism is a critical national asset to support the preclusion of non-state actors from initiating a nuclear attack on the United States. Successful attribution of a detonated nuclear weapon, which includes locating the source of the radiological materials used in the weapon, allows for timely responsive measures that prove essential in the period following a nuclear event. In conjunction with intelligence and law enforcement evidence, the technical nuclear forensics (TNF) post-detonation community supports this mission through the development and advancement of expertise to characterize weapon debris through a rapid, accurate, and detailed approach. Though the TNF field is young, numerous strides have been made in recent years toward a more robust characterization capability. This work presents modern advancements in post-detonation expertise over the last ten years and demonstrates the need for continued extensive research in this field.

Recent Advances in Nuclear Forensic Chemistry

“…Many of the instruments employed for analysis of nuclear materials were initially developed for conventional chemical samples, leading to parallel development of these technologies for academic, industrial, and security applications. ,,,− A handful of previous publications have summarized important analytical methods in nuclear forensics; ,,,− this Review will instead focus primarily on detailing the impacts of fundamental and applied chemistry, especially inorganic and materials chemistry, in the development of nuclear forensics. Future capabilities for nuclear forensic science will also be discussed, with an emphasis on recent developments in chemical microanalysis.…”