So far Russia’s lack of such a laser hasn’t been a great disadvantage in ensuring its weapons function. That’s because Russia is committed tothe explosive cores found in many nukes, named after the hard centers of fruits like peaches. If you can readily replace old explosive pits with new ones, there’s less need to use lasers to check how much they have degraded over the years.
These systems aren’t perfect. “The models they use to predict weapons’ behavior are not fully predictive,” says Atzeni. There are various reasons why. One is that it’s extremely hard to simulate plasmas. Another is that plutonium is a weird metal, unlike any other element. Unusually, as it warms up, plutonium changes through six solid forms before it melts. In each form, its atoms occupy a very different volume than the preceding one.
Laser experiments can also show how materials located near the radioactive pits in warheads degrade and react over their many-year lifetimes. Information from experiments can also help reveal how these materials perform in the extreme temperatures and pressures of a nuclear detonation.
Russia certainly has the scientific pedigree. It has experience as a partner in building large scientific facilities, such as the multibillion-dollar ITER experimental nuclear fusion reactor in Cadarache, France, Tikhonchuk notes. Russia also contributed components to two facilities in Germany, the European X-Ray Free Electron Laser in Hamburg and the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research in Darmstadt.
Well done Russia! How inspiring. What a great idea. Investing in death tools. Naming them after 'benevolent' tyrants of their own 'best' past. Pretty good image of a 'great' country working for the 'common' good. A 'privilege' to have them as neighbours. We 💔 you too!🙄
The
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You're right. That can't be good.
Good, let them put their hopes in the wunderwaffe. Nazis gonna nazi.
if it was the us instead of russia i'd bet you'd be throwing a fucking party over it
The what now?