Regensburg 1998 – scientific programme

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AUV: Abrüstung und Verifikation

AUV 6: Kernwaffen der 4. Generation

AUV 6.1: Invited Talk

Friday, March 27, 1998, 09:30–10:30, T

Inertial Confinement Fusion and Fourth Generation Nuclear Weapons — •Andre Gsponer — Independent Scientific Research Institute (ISRI), Box 30, 1211 Genf, Schweiz

Starting with a brief review of the principles of boosting and two-stage thermonuclear explosives, the talk will emphasize the strong similarities that link inertial confinement fusion with thermonuclear weapons physics. Recalling that micro-fission and micro-fusion explosions, as well as subcritical fission burn, are allowed by the comprehensive test ban treaty (CTBT), it will be shown that the development of new types of nuclear weapons is possible for all parties to the treaty – including the non-nuclear-weapon States. These "fourth generation" nuclear weapons could make use of relatively standard technologies such magnetic compression or more advanced nuclear processes based on nuclear isomers, antimatter, super heavy element, etc. As an illustration, the case of antimatter-triggered nuclear weapons will be discussed in some details. The conclusion will stress the fragility of the current strategic environment, and the danger that would pose a new nuclear arms race in which all modern industrialized countries (e.g. Japan, France, China, Germany etc.) would compete to become the second largest military power in the next century.