1 / 59

Radiological Terrorism: Introduction

Radiological Terrorism: Introduction. Nuclear WMD. Modern time weapons First used in WWII. Nuclear weapons testing, Bikini Atoll, 7/24/46 U.S. Department of Energy photograph. Nuclear WMD. Modern time weapons First used in WWII.

gent
Télécharger la présentation

Radiological Terrorism: Introduction

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Radiological Terrorism:Introduction

  2. Nuclear WMD • Modern time weapons • First used in WWII

  3. Nuclear weapons testing, Bikini Atoll, 7/24/46 U.S. Department of Energy photograph.

  4. Nuclear WMD • Modern time weapons • First used in WWII

  5. Replicas of atomic bombs dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan in 1945. National Atomic Museum photograph

  6. Military-Style Backpack, similar to one carrying the 1996 Centennial Olympic Park Bomb, could deliver a “dirty bomb” Federal Bureau of Investigation photograph

  7. Pros / Cons • Advantages: • Highly disruptive

  8. Pros / Cons • Advantages: • Highly disruptive • High fear / terror factor

  9. Pros / Cons • Advantages: • Highly disruptive • High fear / terror factor • Significant media profile

  10. Pros / Cons • Advantages: • Highly disruptive • High fear / terror factor • Significant media profile • Nuclear bombs also have:

  11. Pros / Cons • Advantages: • Highly disruptive • High fear / terror factor • Significant media profile • Nuclear bombs also have: • Vast destructive power (destroys infrastructure)

  12. Pros / Cons • Advantages: • Highly disruptive • High fear / terror factor • Significant media profile • Nuclear bombs also have: • Vast destructive power (destroys infrastructure) • Effect (death and destruction) is immediate

  13. Nuclear weapons testing, Operation Greenhouse, May 8, 1951 at Enewetak. U.S. Department of Energy photograph.

  14. Pros / Cons • Disadvantages: • Expensive to obtain/maintain

  15. Pros / Cons • Disadvantages: • Expensive to obtain/maintain • Relatively short “shelf life” (~7 years)

  16. Pros / Cons • Disadvantages: • Expensive to obtain/maintain • Relatively short “shelf life” (~7 years) • Low level of control and containment

  17. Pros / Cons • Disadvantages: • Expensive to obtain/maintain • Relatively short “shelf life” (~7 years) • Low level of control and containment • Destroys infrastructure

  18. Pros / Cons • Disadvantages: • Expensive to obtain/maintain • Relatively short “shelf life” (~7 years) • Low level of control and containment • Destroys infrastructure • High risk of detection

  19. A U.S. Customs Inspector checks seaport containers coming into the United States. U.S. Department of Homeland Security photo by James Tourtellotte

  20. Pros / Cons • Disadvantages: • Relatively short “shelf life” (~7 years) • Low level of control and containment • Destroys infrastructure • High risk of detection • Radiation “signature” helps pinpoint source

  21. Destructivity • WMD far exceeds that of conventional, chemical, or biologic weapons

  22. Destructivity • WMD far exceeds that of conventional, chemical, or biologic weapons • “Dirty bombs” lack real destructive power

  23. Destructivity • WMD far exceeds that of conventional, chemical, or biologic weapons • “Dirty bombs” lack real destructive power • Goal of the terrorist • Harassment vs. death

  24. Lethality • Nuclear blast potential

  25. Lethality • Nuclear blast potential • Kill tens of thousands of people

  26. Lethality • Nuclear blast potential • Kill tens of thousands of people • Small target area

  27. Lethality • Nuclear blast potential • Kill tens of thousands of people • Small target area • “Dirty bomb” potential

  28. Lethality • Nuclear blast potential • Kill tens of thousands of people • Small target area • “Dirty bomb” potential • Few deaths

  29. Lethality WeaponGrams Fuel-air explosives 320 million Mustard gas 3.2 million Sarin nerve gas 800,000 A "crude" nuclear weapon 5,000 Type A botulinal toxin 80 Anthrax spores 8

  30. CIA Reports on Former Soviet Union Source: U.S. Central Intelligence Agency

  31. Availability • Nuclear proliferation is a problem

  32. Availability • Nuclear proliferation is a problem • Rogue nations may provide terrorist groups with both weapons and technical knowledge

  33. Availability • Nuclear proliferation is a problem • Rogue nations may provide terrorist groups with both weapons and technical knowledge • Fall of the Soviet Union left many unaccounted nuclear devices

  34. Availability • Nuclear proliferation is a problem • Rogue nations may provide terrorist groups with both weapons and technical knowledge • Fall of the Soviet Union left many unaccounted nuclear devices • For sale on the “black market”

  35. Availability • Terrorist groups performing own research and development of nuclear weapons

  36. Availability • Terrorist groups performing own research and development of nuclear weapons • Industry use of radiological materials provides the isotopes for “dirty bombs”

  37. Availability • Terrorist groups performing own research and development of nuclear weapons • Industry use of radiological materials provides the isotopes for “dirty bombs” • Power plant sabotage could produce massive “dirty bombs”

  38. Delivery • “Suitcase” bomb easily transported by person

  39. Delivery • “Suitcase” bomb easily transported by person • 10 kiloton bomb readily moved by truck or boat

  40. Delivery • “Suitcase” bomb easily transported by person • 10 kiloton bomb readily moved by truck or boat • Radiation detection equipment might miss a small device

  41. Underwater radiation detector U.S. Environmental Protection Agency photo

  42. The Terrorist Risk • Five levels of risk:

  43. The Terrorist Risk • Five levels of risk: • Threatened use, with no real capability to use them

  44. The Terrorist Risk • Five levels of risk: • Threatened use, with no real capability to use them • Unsuccessful attempts to acquire NW

  45. The Terrorist Risk • Five levels of risk: • Threatened use, with no real capability to use them • Unsuccessful attempts to acquire NW • Actual possession of NW

  46. The Terrorist Risk • Five levels of risk: • Threatened use, with no real capability to use them • Unsuccessful attempts to acquire NW • Actual possession of NW • Unsuccessful attempts to use NW

  47. The Terrorist Risk • Five levels of risk: • Threatened use, with no real capability to use them • Unsuccessful attempts to acquire NW • Actual possession of NW • Unsuccessful attempts to use NW • Successful use of NW

  48. The Terrorist Risk • Why haven’t we seen the use of NW by terrorists?

  49. The Terrorist Risk • Why haven’t we seen the use of NW by terrorists? • Fear of severe backlash

  50. The Terrorist Risk • Why haven’t we seen the use of NW by terrorists? • Fear of severe backlash • More likely reasons:

More Related