Comments on: DPRK Test: What About that Radionuclide Data? https://totalwonkerr.net/2006/10/12/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/ Mon, 16 Oct 2006 21:59:24 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 By: AZ_Squeegee https://totalwonkerr.net/2006/10/12/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-417 Mon, 16 Oct 2006 21:59:24 +0000 http://www.totalwonkerr.net/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-417 s office claims “that there was “debris” collected from the test…..that implies more than gas isotope ratio measurements to me. This (http://www.dni.gov/announcements/20061016_release.pdf) statement implies that some radioactive particles were sampled during the overflights. That leads to a lot of interesting questions. Since it does not appear to be in the U.S.’s best interest here to keep the analysis secret, I hope <br />a report will be forthcoming.</p>]]> Negroponte’s office claims “that there was “debris” collected from the test…..that implies more than gas isotope ratio measurements to me. This (http://www.dni.gov/announcements/20061016_release.pdf) statement implies that some radioactive particles were sampled during the overflights. That leads to a lot of interesting questions. Since it does not appear to be in the U.S.’s best interest here to keep the analysis secret, I hope
a report will be forthcoming.

]]> By: Andy https://totalwonkerr.net/2006/10/12/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-416 Mon, 16 Oct 2006 21:02:03 +0000 http://www.totalwonkerr.net/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-416 t think the US would claim a nuke unless there was evidence. It’s unlikely there were any particulates collected because of the low yield and apparently adequate stemming, so I’m betting the analysis is based on Argon or <a href="http://rdal.pnl.gov/science/nem.stm" rel="nofollow">Xenon</a> isotopes as Lakshmi suggested. This is assuming it’s possible these gasses could escape into the atmosphere faster than the 50 days referenced <a href="http://www.llnl.gov/str/Carrigan.html" rel="nofollow">here</a> .</p>]]> I don’t think the US would claim a nuke unless there was evidence. It’s unlikely there were any particulates collected because of the low yield and apparently adequate stemming, so I’m betting the analysis is based on Argon or Xenon isotopes as Lakshmi suggested. This is assuming it’s possible these gasses could escape into the atmosphere faster than the 50 days referenced here .

]]> By: AZ_Squeegee https://totalwonkerr.net/2006/10/12/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-415 Mon, 16 Oct 2006 17:08:00 +0000 http://www.totalwonkerr.net/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-415 It appears that the US overflights did detect the residuals of a nuclear test…..they are being pretty closed mouth about it, though. The isotope data should tell them alot about the nature of the explosion and whether it really was a fizzle.

]]> By: lawnorder https://totalwonkerr.net/2006/10/12/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-414 Sat, 14 Oct 2006 19:00:09 +0000 http://www.totalwonkerr.net/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-414 t have.</p>]]> Mushy sez the obvious.

My money is still on a fake, because a “well contained” test would indicate a skill they don’t have.

]]> By: Amit Joshi https://totalwonkerr.net/2006/10/12/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-413 Fri, 13 Oct 2006 16:22:01 +0000 http://www.totalwonkerr.net/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-413 Musharraf says it was a plutonium bomb.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061011/wl_nm/korea_north_pakistan_dc

]]> By: CKR https://totalwonkerr.net/2006/10/12/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-412 Fri, 13 Oct 2006 13:53:31 +0000 http://www.totalwonkerr.net/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-412 Did I say that proper stemming of a 2-km shaft would prevent venting, or what?

]]> By: Robot Economist https://totalwonkerr.net/2006/10/12/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-411 Fri, 13 Oct 2006 13:09:33 +0000 http://www.totalwonkerr.net/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-411 This may be a dumb question, but does U.S. national technical means include monitoring for terrestrial gamma rays? One would think that a short, but intense burst of gamma rays would be a good thumbprint for subsurface nuclear tests.

]]> By: Lakshmi Krishnan https://totalwonkerr.net/2006/10/12/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-410 Fri, 13 Oct 2006 03:17:48 +0000 http://www.totalwonkerr.net/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-410 If it is a well contained test, only isotopes of noble gases like argon and xenon are likely to surface through barometric gas transport along faults. But, then soil gas sampling in on-site inspection operations alone can detect them. And that not before 50 days after the test for a 1 kT yield. With no access to the site for such sampling, all efforts at radionuclide monitoring from the air amount to fishing expeditions. Simple radiation level measurements will tell nothing. They may serve to give the lay public the impression that something is being done. And possibly to let DPRK believe that their tricks whatever they might be will be found out.

]]> By: Al https://totalwonkerr.net/2006/10/12/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-409 Thu, 12 Oct 2006 23:49:54 +0000 http://www.totalwonkerr.net/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-409 Does no unusual radiation=conventional explosive?

]]> By: ross https://totalwonkerr.net/2006/10/12/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-408 Thu, 12 Oct 2006 22:12:05 +0000 http://www.totalwonkerr.net/dprk-test-what-about-that-radionuclide-data/#comment-408 would a dud plutonium bomb leave a noticeable nuclear signature in the air?

Does this absence of radiation confirm that this was a conventional weapon of great power?

Thanks

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