Physics Colloquium, October 25, 2011
The Reliability, Safety and Security of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Lisbeth Gronlund

Union of Concerned Scientists

During the Cold War, the United States engaged in a constant cycle of designing and producing new weapons to replace those that were retired. The Cold War ended two decades ago, the United States has not conducted nuclear explosive testing since 1992, and it now has a policy of not developing new nuclear weapons. However, this policy is being eroded by the desire on the part of the weapons laboratories to modify existing weapons to increase their reliability, safety, and security. This talk will discuss the reliability, safety and security of the current arsenal and consider whether such changes are warranted, their potential downsides, and alternative approaches.

Dr. Gronlund's Web Site

4:00 p.m., Physics Research Building (PRB), Room 1080

Reception at 3:45 p.m., Atrium, PRB