POTENTIAL PROLIFERATION POINTERS FROM THE PAST: Lessons from the British Nuclear Weapons Program, 1952–69

Becoming a nuclear weapon state and sustaining a militarily credible nuclear weapons capability is far from trivial, especially for medium powers. Such a capability is demonstrated by much more than firing a first test or acquiring significant quantities of fissile material; capability is indicated by factors including weaponization, delivery of weapons, reliability and effectiveness of weapons and their delivery systems, fissile material availability, and nuclear and non-nuclear testing. Files in the British National Archives shed considerable light on the problems faced by the nuclear weapon program of the United Kingdom from 1952 through the late 1960s. The question is whether this experience is unique or if it instead offers insights into the potential problems faced by, or facing, other medium or aspiring nuclear weapon states. The proliferation-related topics highlighted include: fissile material production, nuclear testing, the first weapon, weapon delivery rates, non-nuclear testing, delivery platform problems, and long-term maintenance and capability sustainability. Further research could provide clearer insights.     

Deferred verification: the role of new verification technologies and approaches

ABSTRACT

Researchers have recently proposed a new approach to nuclear-arms-control verification, dubbed “deferred verification.” The concept forgoes inspections at sensitive nuclear sites and of nuclear weapons or components in classified form. To implement this concept, a state first divides its nuclear program into a closed segment and an open segment. The total fissile-material inventory in the closed segment, which includes the weapon complex, is known and declared with very high accuracy. Essentially no inspections take place in the closed segment. In contrast, inspectors have access to the open segment, which includes in particular the civilian nuclear sector. The fissile-material inventory in the open segment is known with less accuracy, but uncertainties can be reduced over time using nuclear-archaeology methods. Deferred verification relies primarily on established safeguards techniques and avoids many unresolved verification challenges, such as the need for information barriers for warhead confirmation measurements. At the same time, deferred verification faces some unique challenges. Here, we explore some of these challenges and offer possible solutions; to do so, we examine possible noncompliance strategies in which a state would seek to withhold a higher-than-declared inventory.     

GERMANY'S CURRENT AND FUTURE PLUTONIUM INVENTORY

In the past, Germany reprocessed a significant amount of its spent nuclear fuel, partly on its own territory but mostly as a customer of British and French reprocessing plants. In mid-2005, Germany stopped this practice, banning new transports of spent fuel for reprocessing—although the already-exported material would be allowed to be reprocessed and recycled in German reactors as mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel. In total, about 6,500 tonnes of heavy metal have been contracted for reprocessing, but a significant portion of this material has neither been reprocessed nor recycled as MOX fuel in German reactors. Due to the complex import-export history and the partly nontransparent information policy of the German government and utilities, a comprehensive and up-to-date plutonium balance for Germany is not publicly available. This report provides an assessment of Germany's plutonium inventory (stored domestically or abroad) based on open-source information. Special attention is paid to the issue of whether the entire inventory of separated plutonium can be completely irradiated in German nuclear reactors before the last of them are shut down in 2022. The authors conclude that Germany's stock of plutonium waiting to be recycled was about 12.2 tonnes as of 2010; this plutonium should be completely re-imported from the United Kingdom and France by 2017. Germany's MOX-consumption capacities should be sufficient to irradiate the remaining plutonium, although further delays are expected that could leave Germany with an inventory of separated (unirradiated) plutonium.     

战役级军械维修器材保障决策支持系统设计研究

传统的面向事务的数据处理方法已经无法适应处理大量数据的要求,为解决这一问题,将面向主题的数据仓库技术用于军械维修器材保障决策支持系统的设计,阐述了基于数据仓库的军械维修器材保障决策支持系统需求分析、系统设计和系统实现,讨论了系统设计原则、设计方法、逻辑结构设计、多维数据仓库设计、底层数据库设计、前端用户视图设计等内容,对军械维修器材保障决策支持系统的开发提供了基本思路．     

谈安防系统中的火灾证据和提取方法

近年来,在移动互联网的带动下,面向小微企业、家庭和个人的安防业务步入活跃期,未来以智慧城市为代表的各类物联网项目不断发展,＂数字化、智能化、网络化＂的安防系统将成为趋势。从安防系统的定义入手,论述安防信息在火灾调查中的应用,并针对安防电子证据和视频监控资料的收集方法进行探讨,旨在规范和提高火灾调查人员的火场勘查技术。     

体育教育专业学生体育消费现状调查分析——以石河子大学体育学院为例

研究学生群体的消费水平对衡量一个高校学生的消费观念具有很重要的现实意义。高校作为群众体育工作的一个重要的组成部分,对学生体育消费现状的把握更有利于推进群众体育工作的发展。本文综合运用文献资料法、问卷调查法以及比较分析法,对石河子大学体育学院体育教育专业的学生体育消费的现状进行调查与分析,总结出该校体育教育专业学生群体中的体育消费现状,寻求相应的措施以改善现状,并提出建议。     

夜间通风量对相变轻质房间室内热环境的影响

运用EnergyPlus软件,对含相变材料层轻质房间的室内热环境进行了模拟,分析了墙体结构、通风量等因素对相变材料轻质墙体的蓄、放热性能和室内热环境的影响。模拟结果表明:相变材料应用于轻质房间,能显著增强围护结构的热惰性,提高室内的热舒适性;同时采取夜间通风技术,可以有效地将白天蓄积的热量散至室外。相变材料布置在围护结构内侧时,室内环境的热舒适性比布置在外侧时更好。从自然通风的角度,相变材料布置于围护结构内侧时,选取换气数2.5次/h作为优化结果;相变材料布置于围护结构外侧时,选取换气数4.0次/h作为优化结果。     

基于复杂网络理论的航材配送网络抗毁性分析

航材配送是航材保障工作的重要环节,科学地构建航材配送网络是提高航材保障效率的前提和基础。深入开展航材配送网络研究,对提高航材保障工作效益具有重要意义。针对航材配送网络节点繁多、线路交错的特点,分析了航材配送网络的复杂特性,构建了基于复杂网络理论的航材配送网络模型,设计了航材配送网络的拓扑特征参数,研究了航材配送网络的抗毁性。理论分析和实验结果表明,随机攻击时航材配送网络的抗毁性要大于选择性攻击,节点选择攻击时航材配送网络的抗毁性小于边选择攻击。     

Nuclear security culture enhancement: the role of culture coordinators at Russian nuclear sites

In 2002, a Nuclear Security Culture (NSC) Enhancement Program with the mission to raise the level of the NSC at sites and facilities in Russia's nuclear complex was launched under the guidance of the Russian State Corporation “ROSATOM” and with support from the US Department of Energy. A Joint Working Group for NSC with both Russian Federation and US members was formed and charged with the design and implementation of the program. The program was implemented at sites and facilities on a pilot basis. Nine sites participated in the Pilot Project. The key program component was an establishment of Culture Coordinators (CCs) with the authority to coordinate and implement NSC enhancement activities at sites and facilities. The CCs have served as the force that has maintained the momentum of the Pilot Project and continuously steered the site NSC enhancement efforts. The contribution of the CCs in achieving the positive outcomes of the program cannot be overstated.     

基于粗糙集理论的军队代储应急物资品种选择

从军队对应急物资的需求特点及应急物资的特征属性出发,构建了军队代储应急物资品种选择的指标体系。在此基础上,通过部队调研和专家经验获得了一组军队代储应急物资品种选择的样本数据并形成了决策表,运用基于可辨识矩阵的属性频率约简算法对决策表进行属性约简,并对约简属性集进行属性值约简,提取出军队代储应急物资品种的选择规则。提取的规则简洁合理,能够为军队代储应急物资品种选择提供决策支持。