Nuclear Solutions Technology Update: Application Feasibility of Gravity Based Detection for Shielded Nuclear Weapons validated by U.S. Government Sponsored Research
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Nuclear Solutions, Inc. (OTCBB:NSOL) released the following:
Use of gravity to detect nuclear weapons was researched by the U.S. government in the early 1990s and found to be potentially viable for arms control applications under the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). Now Nuclear Solutions, Inc. is working to produce a gravimetric sensor that overcomes the limitations of previous designs for the purpose of practically and effectively detecting a "loose nuke" in transit through a border entry point.
"The levels of radiation emitted by weapons-grade plutonium and uranium are relatively low, and easy to shield," said Nuclear Solutions Chief Executive Officer Patrick Herda, "which makes conventional detection practically impossible under several very likely transit scenarios."
The Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) has previously sponsored research and experimentation into the concept of detecting and quantifying nuclear warheads for arms control verification applications by measuring their associated gravitational signatures. Proof-of-principle experiments were performed to characterize the capabilities and limitations of gravimetric detection for applications related to START.
The research report, entitled Proof of Principle Tests: Gravity Gradiometer Utility for Onsite Inspection Applications (Contract No. DNA001-90-C-0168), concluded, "Using current gravity gradiometer technology, (it was) demonstrated that gravitational signatures of simulated (weapons) can be measured successfully" and that "gravity gradiometry accurately and reliably discriminated small variations in mass distributions as well as small asymmetries in mass."
Although the experiment validated the potential utility of using gravitational signatures for arms control applications, it did not address the problems anticipated in gravitational signature collection in an actual inspection. It found that "identification of a particular missile system (i.e., its specific identity) will require future signal analysis and algorithm development."
"I found the experimental results from the DNA report to be very encouraging for our present development effort," Herda said, "keeping in mind that the previous experiment did not evaluate our new approach and should not be mistaken for government validation of our patent-pending technology."
He added, however, "the principle of measuring changes in gravitational fields to determine the existence of a mass anomaly that could signal the presence of heavy metals was successfully carried out in the DNA experiment, and its feasibility, given a robust and fieldable sensor pack, is not in question."
Development of Nuclear Solutions' new sensing concept may result in a highly sensitive, portable, and low-cost detection system that responds to minute gravitational gradient anomalies produced by high-density nuclear materials like plutonium and uranium -- and is unaffected by radiation shielding techniques.
When fully funded and developed, this patent-pending approach using gravimetric sensing techniques could become a useful tool in the fight against nuclear terrorism worldwide.
Nuclear Solutions is progressing as anticipated with its intellectual property development, and further updates concerning the company's shielded nuclear weapons detection technology and European business development activities are expected within the next two weeks. Additionally, a progress update on nuclear micro-battery technology is expected by the end of January.
Kam um zwei Uhr, daraufhin brach der Kurs massiv ein... scheinbar wirkt der Satz "...it did not address the problems..." etwas upturnend. Verständlich, sobald ist dann wohl mit keinem Durchbruch zu rechnen.
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