The United States is enhancing the construction of “plutonium pits” for nuclear weapons
Introduction
In every American nuclear weapon, there is a sphere the size of a bowling ball made of one of the strangest elements on the planet. This sphere is called a “plutonium pit” and it is the central core of the bomb. It is surrounded by conventional explosive materials. When these explosives detonate, the plutonium is compressed and its atoms begin to undergo fission, releasing radiation and heating the surrounding materials. This chain reaction ignites a series of events that make nuclear weapons nuclear.
Update of American Nuclear Weapons
The country is updating its nuclear arsenal, improving old weapons and building new ones. Efforts include upgraded missiles, the design of a new weapon, modifications to existing designs, and new pits. To achieve the latter, the National Nuclear Security Administration has implemented a controversial plan to produce 50 new pits per year at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina and 30 pits per year at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, the birthplace of the bomb. The first pits will be designed for a weapon called the W87-1, which will be the warhead for the new ballistic missile known as Sentinel. After that, the group will produce pits for other bomb designs.
The Controversy over Pit Production
Not everyone believes this work is necessary. The production of pits is controversial because it is expensive and risky and because the existing pits may last for some time. The physics of plutonium is complex, and no one knows when the original pits will reach the end of their lifespan. Details on how to manufacture the pits and how they function are among the most guarded secrets in America. However, in June 2023, Los Alamos officials invited a group of journalists for a tour of the facility for the first time in years.
Work at the Pit Factory
Much of the plutonium work at Los Alamos takes place in a building called PF-4, located south of the city in a part of the lab known as Tech Area 55. It is one of the most secure parts of the lab. Before our tour, we were told to examine our hands, arms, and ankles for scratches or wounds where radiological contamination could slip in. For any such wounds, we are instructed to apply technical protection: a bandage. The message is reiterated inside the building with a sign directing insiders to “cover your wound.”
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