International Network of Engineers and Scientists Against Proliferation

Landmine Detection and Nuclear Verification

Report on the Expert Session "Disarmament and Verification" at the 62th conference of the German Physical Society (DPG) in Regensburg

Götz Neuneck, Jürgen Scheffran

This year's expert session "Disarmament and Verification" took place during the spring conference of the DPG on March 25th and 26th, 1998 in Regensburg, Germany. Its focal theme was "Landmine Detection and Nuclear Verification". In his introductory presentation, Professor Roy Schwitters of the Department of Physics of the University of Texas provided a survey of the extent of the land-mine problem and the technology employed for their detection. According to estimates, 110 million armed mines are buried in at least 64 countries. Until recently, 20 new mines were deployed for every swept mine world-wide. About 100 designs are known, costing more in destruction than in production. Various detection technologies were explained, such as NQR and x-ray technologies.

Professor John van Genderen of the International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Science in Enschede presented possibilities for the detection of mines or the visualisation of their deployment through satellite or air-reconnaissance images. Larger areas can be scanned with the help of optical procedures (multi-spectral cameras), thermal IR techniques (3-5 microns, 8-14 microns) and microwaves (x-and p-band). Based on this information, appropriate maps can be developed, which support trained personnel in finding and disarming mines considerably faster. Dirk Kilfitt of the company Rheinmetall outlined various technical problems of explosive detectors and mine sweeping units.

As an application of sensor verification to peace keeping, Juergen Altmann and Reinhard Blumrich (University of Bochum) presented measurements and calculations for the determination of ground impedance, based on experiments with acoustical and seismic sensors during take-off and landing of jet airplanes.

Steve Fetter, professor at the University of Maryland, gave an introduction into the problems and verification procedures related to future nuclear disarmament. In the past, nuclear arms control was limited to restricting the numbers and capabilities of nuclear delivery vehicles and launchers. In the future, nuclear warheads, nuclear-weapons-usable materials and the operation of nuclear forces will become increasingly important. Juergen Scheffran (IANUS, Technical University Darmstadt) explained technical and other procedures to verify compliance with a nuclear-weapon-free world in the context of a Nuclear Weapons Convention and introduced a model to compare various verification measures. Martin Kalinowski (IANUS, TU Darmstadt) presented measurements of atmospheric krypton-85 close to the reprocessing plant at Karlsruhe, Germany which could be used to detect plutonium separation from large distances.

In the context of the control and disposal of nuclear weapons materials, Roland Schenkel of the European Institute for Trans-Uranic Elements (Karlsruhe) described new work on highy sensitive particle analysis of environmental probes for discovery of clandestine nuclear activities. Such methods would allow to make better judgement on tranfer paths and sources of nuclear weapons materials. Christoph Pistner and Alexander Glaser (IANUS, TU Darmstadt) presented results of their diploma thesis on burn-up calculations for the elimination of weapon plutonium in reactors, while Roland Reimers (University Bremen) indicated short-term measures for reducing proliferation incentives with regards to surplus weapon plutonium.

André Gsponer of the Geneva "Independent Scientific Research Institute" warned on the scientific-technical possibilities of circumventing the nuclear Test Ban Treaty with laboratory experiments (laser fusion, heavy ions and anti-protons) and new computer simulations. He presented cases to exemplify the state of research in various countries.

The last part of the expert session dealt with the possibilities of verification by alteration detection in multitemporal satellite images (Irmgard Niemeyer, Research Center Juelich) and thermal mapping of facilities and vehicles by means of multi-spectral scanners (Boris Prinz, CENSIS Hamburg). Two lectures with game-theoretical content showed the application of mathematics in inspection games (Daniel Rothenstein, Research Center Juelich) and in models of negotiations in technology cooperation (Stefan Pickl, IANUS TU Darmstadt). Goetz Neuneck presented a summary on the extent, cost and technologies of disarmament measures for surplus nuclear, chemical and conventional weapons.

The audience of the various sessions consisted of 30 to 100 interested participants. This event, which for the fourth time was organized along with FONAS, the German research association on science, disarmament and international security (Forschungsverbund Naturwissenschaft, Abrüstung und internationale Sicherheit), was facilitated by G. Neuneck and J. Scheffran. The release of a conference publication is planned. Persons interested in becoming involved with the newly-constituted "Working Group on Physics and Disarmament" (AKA) should write to G. Neuneck, IFSH, Falkenstein 1, D-22587 Hamburg or to J. Altmann, Institute for experimental physics III, RU Bochum, D-44780 Bochum.