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SYNT: Nuclear Threats and Challenges – Japanese and German Views

SYNT 1: Nuclear Weapons Risk Assessment

SYNT 1.4: Invited Talk

Monday, March 10, 2025, 18:00–18:30, HS 1+2

Physicist Contributions to Reducing Current Nuclear Threats and Challenges — •Moritz Kütt — Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy (IFSH)

Even before the first nuclear weapon exploded, physicists warned in the ``Franck Report'' of the danger of a global arms race. Throughout the 20th century, physicists continued to help reduce nuclear dangers, highlighting risks and analyzing nuclear weapon effects like radioactive emissions from weapon tests. They also contributed to weapon reductions, developing innovative approaches to verification challenges.

In the third decade of the 21st century, the world finds itself in a new nuclear arms race. All nuclear-armed states modernize their arsenals, and many grow the absolute stockpile of weapons, both is a threat to global security. Additional challenges arise from increased use of conventional missiles, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies in interacting with nuclear weapons.

To reduce threats and challenges, physicists have several opportunities to (re-)engage with the issue. Physicists can use their expertise to study and warn of escalation risks, highlight the catastrophic consequences caused by the effects of nuclear war, help estimate the scale of the arms race, and continue to provide innovative verification ideas. This presentation illustrates these opportunities and highlights potential benefits that could be achieved when physics research resources are not ``wasted'' anymore for developing nuclear weapons.

Keywords: Nuclear Disarmament; Arms Race; Nuclear Threats; Nuclear Weapons