Neutrino detection may enable nuclear weapons testing without blasts

Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory have proposed using neutrino detection as a novel diagnostic tool to study nuclear weapon detonations without conducting explosive tests. Neutrinos, elusive subatomic particles produced in vast quantities during fission events, can pass through matter almost unhindered, making them difficult to detect but valuable for gaining direct insights into the nuclear reaction. The research focuses on whether inverse beta decay (IBD) neutrino detectors can capture sufficient antineutrino signals from a nuclear detonation or a pulsed fission reactor to provide meaningful data from a safe distance. Their modeling indicates that such detectors could feasibly register enough interactions to complement existing nuclear weapons performance evaluation methods. To validate this concept without actual nuclear tests, the team suggests deploying detectors near pulsed fission reactors, such as the TRIGA reactor at Texas A&M University, which produce short, repeatable bursts of fission energy resembling nuclear detonations. Data from these setups could refine simulations, reduce uncertainties in fission yield databases,