Nuclear weapons are a persistent threat to global security. The possession of these destructive devices in different countries increases tensions and concerns about possible misuse or theft. Efforts to control and track these weapons have been ongoing for decades, but the task is difficult given the secretive nature of nuclear arsenals. Recently, scientists came up with an interesting new solution to improve the tracking of nuclear warheads by hiding them in a corridor of mirrors. Details are here…

To prevent the “loss” of nuclear weapons, scientists propose to hide them in a corridor of mirrors

The need for increased monitoring of nuclear weapons led to a unique and innovative solution: mirrors and radio waves. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy have developed a system that allows you to remotely monitor the movement of objects in a room using mirrors and radio waves. This technology is intended to strengthen the control and security of nuclear warhead stocks.

Nuclear weapons pose a persistent threat to global security; The nine countries collectively possess approximately 12,700 warheads. These weapons are often stored in highly secure military bunkers; This makes it difficult to verify their presence, quantity or unauthorized movements. The mirror-radiowave system involves placing 20 tunable mirrors next to nuclear warheads in storage facilities and placing two antennas as part of the installation.

One antenna emits radio waves that are reflected off the mirrors, creating unique reflection patterns that are detected by the other antenna. By analyzing these models, the system can accurately determine the position of objects in the room and even detect the slightest changes in position. One of the key advantages of this system is that it does not rely on secure communication channels or tamper-proof equipment, making it more resistant to potential threats or hacking attempts.

In practice, international organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can install a system of mirrors and antennas inside nuclear shelters. By measuring the radio waves reflected from the mirrors, the system creates a unique fingerprint signal that is stored in a secure database. Government or nuclear stockpile organizations can measure the radio wave signal recorded by detector antennas and compare it to the original fingerprint to detect unauthorized movements.

While this innovative control system is not completely foolproof, it promises to improve nuclear weapons control and has potential applications in a variety of industries. Source