Antineutrino Detectors Remain Impractical for Nuclear Explosion Monitoring
Abstract Fission explosions produce large numbers of antineutrinos. It is occasionally asked whether this distinctive, unshieldable emission could help reveal clandestine nuclear weapon explosions. The practical challenge encountered is that detectors large enough for this application...
| Auteurs principaux: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Langue: | English |
| Publié: |
Springer International Publishing
2021
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| Accès en ligne: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/136883 |
| _version_ | 1826203256346378240 |
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| author | Foxe, Michael Bowyer, Theodore Carr, Rachel Orrell, John VanDevender, Brent |
| author_facet | Foxe, Michael Bowyer, Theodore Carr, Rachel Orrell, John VanDevender, Brent |
| author_sort | Foxe, Michael |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Abstract
Fission explosions produce large numbers of antineutrinos. It is occasionally asked whether this distinctive, unshieldable emission could help reveal clandestine nuclear weapon explosions. The practical challenge encountered is that detectors large enough for this application are cost prohibitive, likely on the multi-billion-dollar scale. In this paper, we review several hypothetical use cases for antineutrino detectors as supplements to the seismic, infrasound, hydroacoustic, and airborne radionuclide sensors of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization’s International Monitoring System. In each case, if an anti-neutrino detector could be constructed that would compete with existing capabilities, we conclude that the cost would considerably outstrip the value it might add to the existing monitoring network, compared to the significantly lower costs for the same or superior capability. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T12:33:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/136883 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T12:33:46Z |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publisher | Springer International Publishing |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1368832021-11-02T03:23:16Z Antineutrino Detectors Remain Impractical for Nuclear Explosion Monitoring Foxe, Michael Bowyer, Theodore Carr, Rachel Orrell, John VanDevender, Brent Abstract Fission explosions produce large numbers of antineutrinos. It is occasionally asked whether this distinctive, unshieldable emission could help reveal clandestine nuclear weapon explosions. The practical challenge encountered is that detectors large enough for this application are cost prohibitive, likely on the multi-billion-dollar scale. In this paper, we review several hypothetical use cases for antineutrino detectors as supplements to the seismic, infrasound, hydroacoustic, and airborne radionuclide sensors of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization’s International Monitoring System. In each case, if an anti-neutrino detector could be constructed that would compete with existing capabilities, we conclude that the cost would considerably outstrip the value it might add to the existing monitoring network, compared to the significantly lower costs for the same or superior capability. 2021-11-01T14:33:59Z 2021-11-01T14:33:59Z 2020-03-26 2021-08-28T03:21:37Z Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/136883 en https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-020-02464-6 Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign copyright protection may apply application/pdf Springer International Publishing Springer International Publishing |
| spellingShingle | Foxe, Michael Bowyer, Theodore Carr, Rachel Orrell, John VanDevender, Brent Antineutrino Detectors Remain Impractical for Nuclear Explosion Monitoring |
| title | Antineutrino Detectors Remain Impractical for Nuclear Explosion Monitoring |
| title_full | Antineutrino Detectors Remain Impractical for Nuclear Explosion Monitoring |
| title_fullStr | Antineutrino Detectors Remain Impractical for Nuclear Explosion Monitoring |
| title_full_unstemmed | Antineutrino Detectors Remain Impractical for Nuclear Explosion Monitoring |
| title_short | Antineutrino Detectors Remain Impractical for Nuclear Explosion Monitoring |
| title_sort | antineutrino detectors remain impractical for nuclear explosion monitoring |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/136883 |
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