Nuclear Explosion Monitoring Research and Development Roadmaps

In the past ten years, significant progress has been made in nuclear explosion monitoring (NEM) through research and development (R&D) with regard to detection, location and identification, however substantial improvements are yet possible. Today, there is increasing interest in both current and planned NEM R&D technology particularly in light of its relevance to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). At this juncture, the Ground-based Nuclear Explosion Monitoring R&D (GNEM R&D) roadmaps are particularly pertinent because they build upon decades of NEM accomplishments (https://na22.nnsa.doe.gov/mrr) to map future R&D themes. Indeed, the GNEM R&D mission, an essential program within the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Nuclear Detonation Detection (NA-222), is, “...to develop, demonstrate, and deliver advanced technologies and systems to operational monitoring agencies to fulfill US monitoring requirements and policies for detecting, locating, and identifying nuclear explosions” (Strategic Plan, 2004). Work sponsored by GNEM R&D and collaborators is world-classconducted by scientists and engineers in national laboratories, universities, and private industry in partnership with international researchers. Waveform and radionuclide technology roadmaps are organized according to four program elements: source physics, signal propagation, sensors, and signal analysis. These elements were chosen to capture the full breadth of the physical representation of signals observed in the environment. Within each element, R&D themes and metrics are presented as illustrative of future directions. The roadmaps show the way forward to attain the goals of the program namely to: perform innovative scientific research, deliver capability-enhancing technologies to monitoring agencies and to motivate and nurture human capital to meet future monitoring challenges. 2010 Monitoring Research Review: Ground-Based Nuclear Explosion Monitoring Technologies