2018 Physics/Theoretical Colloquium

 

Thursday, May 10th, 2018

3:45 – 4:45 p.m.

Rosen Auditorium (TA-53, Bldg. 1)

Refreshments at 3:15pm

 

Speaker: ADX Director Michael P. Bernardin

ADX-AD WEAPONS PHYSICS

 

 

 

 

“Future Directions for Science-Based Stockpile Stewardship”

 

Unclassified talk. OPEN to ALL badge holders. 

 

Abstract:

Future Directions for Science-Based Stockpile Stewardship

 

Michael P. Bernardin

Associate Director, Weapon Physics (ADX)

 

Abstract

Since 1992, the United States has relied on a subset of its nuclear weapons dating from the Cold War to sustain its nuclear deterrent.  A key aspect accompanying this decision was the formulation of a strategy to underwrite the sustainment of nuclear weapons for timescales far beyond the typical time weapons remained in the arsenal during the preceding decades.  The strategy was named Science-Based Stockpile Stewardship (SBSS).  It took approximately a decade to build new SBSS tools and another decade to apply the new tools in order to assess the adequacy of the strategy for sustaining America’s deterrent weapons.  In the first portion of this presentation, we will highlight some of the technical challenges associated with sustaining the nuclear deterrent, progress that has been made in meeting the challenges, and key areas of outstanding challenges.  In February 2018, the US issued a new Nuclear Posture Review.  Fundamental to this new NPR is recognition that the United States is observing a return to Great Power competition, with potential adversaries expanding and modernizing their nuclear forces.  Through NNSA, the Labs are now being called upon to prepare for some shifts in direction within the Weapons Program, ones that bring new sets of challenges.  In the latter portion of this presentation, we will discuss implications associated with these new challenges for driving new areas of Weapons Program research.