A team of 40 technicians and scientists from different countries, armed with a wide range of sensor technologies, will participate in an elaborate on-site simulated inspection on the Dead Sea banks, which is a suspect nuclear test site.
The exercise is set to take place in November 2014, in Jordan, and according to Edwin Cartlidge, Science writer aims to prepare for Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) on-site inspections.
Approximately 1000 km2 of scrubland and mountainous desert land has been earmarked for the exercise. The scientists and technicians would be provided sensor technologies such as noble-gas detection systems, infrared radiation systems, and ultraviolet light that are allowed by the CTBT.
It will enable them to ascertain whether a nuclear explosion has occurred. Another team, that would represent the State, would try to prevent the scientists from detecting any signs of such an occurrence.
The CTBT bans nations who sign the agreement from conducting nuclear tests on Earth or in space. Over 180 nations have signed the treaty that was opened in 1996. However, for the CTBT to become legally binding, it must be signed and ratified by the 44 countries who had nuclear technology in the year 1996. Presently, eight countries are yet to sign the treaty. When all the countries do sign the treaty, any nuclear testing done by them will be detected by the International Monitoring System (IMS), which is a global network of sensor facilities.
Four types of physical phenomena – radioactive nuclei, infrasonic waves, underwater sound waves and seismic waves – can be used to detect any occurrence of nuclear explosions. The IMS presently consists of 279 facilities and they send the data to the CTBT organization in Austria. This data has not been sufficient for convincing CTBT signatories as the network was not effective in several occasions.
Cartlidge concludes that CTBTO scientists will be testing their monitoring techniques, to ensure their preparedness when called upon for investigating nuclear weapon explosions.
Source: http://physicsworld.com