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Did Sandia use a thermonuclear secondary in a product logo?

blog.nuclearsecrecy.com

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Re: Did Sandia use a thermonuclear secondary in a product logo?

#201

Post by gnfargbl »

freestyle24147 wrote: post #153
gnfargbl wrote: post #26

What is it that the author thinks is particularly unusual about this image? Pretty much every schematic of a Teller-Ulam type weapon -- a schematic which you will find in every introductory Nuclear Physics textbook -- shows a large cylinder with a spherical fission device at the top and a cylindrical fusion device at the bottom, plus some FOGBANK-type material of unconfirmed purpose. This image looks exactly like tho…

Please provide even one link to an image or book or anything that proves what you're saying is true. The fact that this is the top comment is troubling, since your question is answered throughout the article. The thing you're claiming (basically that imagery like this can be found all over the place) is so easy to prove, one wonders why you haven't done it here or in any of your other comments.

My question isn't answered in the article, as I repeatedly explain elsewhere in this thread.

As you only require one reference, I will present K.S. Krane, Introductory Nuclear Physics, section 14.5 "Thermonuclear Weapons." The relevant schematic is numbered 14.19. I chose this because it's a textbook that I remember using myself; I'm not sure what is usually used these days.

Re: Did Sandia use a thermonuclear secondary in a product logo?

#202

Post by qb1 »

morpheuskafka wrote: post #127
defrost wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As nmadden noted there's a lot of detail in the article . > That seems extremely unlikely to me. None the less his nuclearsecrecy blog has been about for many many years and he's had a great deal of contact with people who have walked up to the line. It's not that uncommon for historians to have neither confirm nor deny but we can understand various silences relations with experts - even the OG Manhatten Project had…

> There are even a few DoE employed HN users here who know their areas of expertise and comment right up to the point where they shut up (an often shut down | change accounts) It seems like one could pretty easily build a database and track online commenters that are government affiliated. I've seen several on reddit from various three letter agencies (see r/TSA, r/1811, r/securityclearance, r/cbpoapplicant/). They u…

Does the TSA officially work with local law enforcement? I am not sure about their policy, but many TSA staff want local law enforcement jobs. As such, TSA staff will do whatever they preceive as favor to local law enforcement to gain "preceived" advantage from local law enforcement in future hiring "you scratch my back, I will get yours" type situation and mentality. Problematically, the favor depends on the customs and courtesies of the location. Overall, this leads to what a previous poster described as a "win" for point counting congresspeople while leaving society less safe and vulnerable to self interest of a TSA staffer for personal gain.

Re: Did Sandia use a thermonuclear secondary in a product logo?

#203

Post by dboreham »

evo wrote: post #150
gnfargbl wrote: post #26

What is it that the author thinks is particularly unusual about this image? Pretty much every schematic of a Teller-Ulam type weapon -- a schematic which you will find in every introductory Nuclear Physics textbook -- shows a large cylinder with a spherical fission device at the top and a cylindrical fusion device at the bottom, plus some FOGBANK-type material of unconfirmed purpose. This image looks exactly like tho…

I feel like the most novel aspect of this image is an implication of the shape of the reflective casing at the far rear of the device--it seems to suggest a parabolic "shaped charge" sort of focusing element that likely helps to boost the neutron flux and initiate the "spark plug" from the rear at the same time as from the front.

Hmm. I've read every book on the subject and I have a feeling I've heard this arrangement already somewhere (shape of the mirrors used to direct the radiation pressure, not neutron flux).

Re: Did Sandia use a thermonuclear secondary in a product logo?

#204

Post by dboreham »

cannonpr wrote: post #66
Cthulhu_ wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There was once an article in a pop sci magazine 25 odd years ago about how to build a nuke in a house; basically a pipe / barrel from the attic to the basement, a concave bit of plutonium or the right kind of uranium in the basement encased in a good carrier like concrete, and a convex matching part at the top of the barrel. Explosives behind the top one, launch the one towards the other, ????, nuke. In theory. That…

Casting, machining or welding plutonium into the right shapes and purities without killing your self, or some of the other exotic metals, without killing your self or making your neighbours sick in a sub 1-3 week horizon is incredibly challenging. The exact geometries you need to achieve aren’t easily available either neither is measuring is you achieved them without again killing your self. Getting a dirty fizzle is…

Quick note that gun type devices don't work with Plutonium.

Re: Did Sandia use a thermonuclear secondary in a product logo?

#205

Post by rpdillon »

gnfargbl wrote: post #201
freestyle24147 wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please provide even one link to an image or book or anything that proves what you're saying is true. The fact that this is the top comment is troubling, since your question is answered throughout the article. The thing you're claiming (basically that imagery like this can be found all over the place) is so easy to prove, one wonders why you haven't done it here or in any of your other comments.

My question isn't answered in the article, as I repeatedly explain elsewhere in this thread. As you only require one reference, I will present K.S. Krane, Introductory Nuclear Physics, section 14.5 "Thermonuclear Weapons." The relevant schematic is numbered 14.19. I chose this because it's a textbook that I remember using myself; I'm not sure what is usually used these days.

I think the interesting thing about this release was mostly that it was released, not necessarily that the information is not obtainable elsewhere.

But I dug up the diagram you mentioned just because I was curious.

https://archive.org/details/introductory-nuclear-physics/pag...

Seems pretty different from the image in the linked post.

Re: Did Sandia use a thermonuclear secondary in a product logo?

#206

Post by gnfargbl »

rpdillon wrote: post #205
gnfargbl wrote: post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My question isn't answered in the article, as I repeatedly explain elsewhere in this thread. As you only require one reference, I will present K.S. Krane, Introductory Nuclear Physics, section 14.5 "Thermonuclear Weapons." The relevant schematic is numbered 14.19. I chose this because it's a textbook that I remember using myself; I'm not sure what is usually used these days.

I think the interesting thing about this release was mostly that it was released, not necessarily that the information is not obtainable elsewhere. But I dug up the diagram you mentioned just because I was curious. https://archive.org/details/introductory-nuclear-physics/pag... Seems pretty different from the image in the linked post.

Yes, that's the schematic. To me the two look essentially identical save for topology and some imagined details.

I don't believe either of them are actually representative of a function warhead; see for instance https://images.app.goo.gl/aEBGKmAb8NsoAWe87, which suggests that in a real design the primary and secondary are inverted compared to the image shown in the blog post.

Re: Did Sandia use a thermonuclear secondary in a product logo?

#208

Post by scubbo »

MereInterest wrote: post #156
scubbo wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> walked up to the line I'm not familiar with that idiom, and searching for it only gives me "Walk the line" - what does it mean?

I read it as being related to the "line in the sand" idiom. There exists some set of rules, the "line". Exactly what is and isn't allowed under those rules is a bit arbitrary, like the exact location where you would draw a line in the sand with your finger. What matters is that the line has been drawn, and everybody knows that the line may not be crossed. Under that metaphor, a person may stay very far from the line,…

That's helpful, thank you!

Re: Did Sandia use a thermonuclear secondary in a product logo?

#209

Post by scubbo »

MadnessASAP wrote: post #162
scubbo wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> walked up to the line I'm not familiar with that idiom, and searching for it only gives me "Walk the line" - what does it mean?

It means going to the limit of what is allowed, the line represents some limit/law/threshold that cannot be crossed. In this case the veil of secrecy that separates what is/is not public about nuclear weapons. Normally you would stay well away from said "line". Occasionally though someone may "walk" right up to the "line" but no further. You can take it to mean that someone knows something secret but is carefully onl…

That makes sense, thank you!

Re: Did Sandia use a thermonuclear secondary in a product logo?

#210

Post by scubbo »

fragmede wrote: post #157
scubbo wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> walked up to the line I'm not familiar with that idiom, and searching for it only gives me "Walk the line" - what does it mean?

ChatGPT's really good for that kind of a thing, but in this case it's a saying popularized by a Johnny Cash song about staying loyal and committed to his wife while being on the road and facing temptation.

Ironic that you mention ChatGPT in the same comment as answering a question about a phrase that I was explicitly _not_ asking about.
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