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Title: LLNL's role in dismantling nuclear warheads

Abstract

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia/California weapons and safety specialists are working with personnel at the Pantex Plant to ensure that dismantlement for Livermore-designed nuclear weapons is conducted safely and in accordance with technical and scientific requirements. The United States dismantles it nuclear weapons at only one facility - the Department of Energy's Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas. The contractor who operates this facility-Mason Hanger-Silas Mason Co., Inc. - is responsible for the storage, disassembly, and disposal of the nuclear weapons returned to Pantex. Dismantlement takes place for two reasons: as part of the stockpile surveillance program and as weapons are retired. The primary function of the surveillance program is to ensure that the remaining stockpiled weapons maintain their integrity over time. Weapons, chosen at random from the stockpile, are dismantled, and each component is tested to ensure that it has not corroded or degraded in a way that would impair its performance. In addition to this routine surveillance of the stockpile, retired weapons are disassembled and their components disposed of as part of the normal workload. Although the weapon design laboratories approved the surveillance dismantlement procedures, which were drawn up at the same time as the production procedures, themore » laboratories usually were not directly involved in dismantlement of the retired weapons.« less

Authors:
OSTI Identifier:
7117640
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Energy and Technology Review (Livermore, California); (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Energy and Technology Review (Livermore, California); (United States); Journal ID: ISSN 0884-5050
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE; 98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION; LAWRENCE LIVERMORE LABORATORY; NUCLEAR WEAPONS; NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT; STORAGE; ARMS CONTROL; SURVEILLANCE; NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS; US AEC; US DOE; US ERDA; US ORGANIZATIONS; WEAPONS; 450200* - Military Technology, Weaponry, & National Defense- Nuclear Explosions & Explosives; 350200 - Arms Control- Proliferation- (1987-)

Citation Formats

Dow, J P. LLNL's role in dismantling nuclear warheads. United States: N. p., Web.
Dow, J P. LLNL's role in dismantling nuclear warheads. United States.
Dow, J P. . "LLNL's role in dismantling nuclear warheads". United States.
@article{osti_7117640,
title = {LLNL's role in dismantling nuclear warheads},
author = {Dow, J P},
abstractNote = {Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia/California weapons and safety specialists are working with personnel at the Pantex Plant to ensure that dismantlement for Livermore-designed nuclear weapons is conducted safely and in accordance with technical and scientific requirements. The United States dismantles it nuclear weapons at only one facility - the Department of Energy's Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas. The contractor who operates this facility-Mason Hanger-Silas Mason Co., Inc. - is responsible for the storage, disassembly, and disposal of the nuclear weapons returned to Pantex. Dismantlement takes place for two reasons: as part of the stockpile surveillance program and as weapons are retired. The primary function of the surveillance program is to ensure that the remaining stockpiled weapons maintain their integrity over time. Weapons, chosen at random from the stockpile, are dismantled, and each component is tested to ensure that it has not corroded or degraded in a way that would impair its performance. In addition to this routine surveillance of the stockpile, retired weapons are disassembled and their components disposed of as part of the normal workload. Although the weapon design laboratories approved the surveillance dismantlement procedures, which were drawn up at the same time as the production procedures, the laboratories usually were not directly involved in dismantlement of the retired weapons.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/7117640}, journal = {Energy and Technology Review (Livermore, California); (United States)},
issn = {0884-5050},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {},
month = {}
}