Mapping out nuclear forensics detection
(Editor’s note: This is the next in a series of interviews with key leaders of the 100-day science and technology road mapping project. The project centers on seven focus areas: stockpile stewardship science; nuclear counterterrorism and forensics; cyber and space security and intelligence; biosecurity; regional climate modeling and impacts; LIFE — Laser Inertial Fusion-Fission Energy (LIFE); and advanced laser optical systems and applications. Today, hear from Mike Carter, who will lead the nuclear counterterroism and forensics area.)
Mike Carter is the deputy principal associate director for programs within the Laboratory’s Global Security Principal Directorate.
Before joining Global Security, Carter worked for more than three years, between 2003 and 2006, as part of the formation and development of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). He served as the deputy director of the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office and was the director of the DHS Science and Technology Directorate’s Nuclear and Radiological Countermeasures Program.
Earlier, Carter also worked as a technical adviser for eight months to the White House’s Transition Planning Office for the establishment of DHS.
Why did you want to be a part of this road mapping plan?
The reason I wanted to be part of this road mapping plan is that I think there are key science and technology advances in the field of nuclear counterterrorism, nonproliferation and forensics that this Laboratory can step up to to make a dramatic difference long-term in this country’s ability to counter these threats.
What are your areas of interest?
Our key areas of interest began with a focus on nuclear counterterrorism and forensics, with the challenges of bringing advancements in science and technology to the detection community and also to the nuclear forensics community. We realized very early on that, especially with the new administration coming on board, with their emphasis on nonproliferation, that there were technology advances in the nonproliferation community that could make a very big difference.
What is your team working on now?
Our team has identified three major grand challenges that we believe science and technology at the Laboratory can address. One is how do we bring a more timely nuclear forensics capability to the table for either interdicted nuclear smuggling samples or for the post-detonation nuclear environment. A second one is how can we dramatically improve the stand-off detection capabilities of not only conventional radiation detection methods, but also some new innovative detection methods based on things like cosmic-ray induced signatures or antineutrinos. And then the third thing we think is a key long-term grand challenge is to develop a comprehensive end-to-end model of the nuclear processes from the time you dig the material up out of the ground until the time that you’re potentially dealing with a sample in a post-detonation environment. (We want to be able) to understand the complex processes that affect the radiological composition, the physical and chemical properties of this material, all on the phase of their life.
Where do you see this work in five years and how does the overall mission of the Lab fit in?
In five years, we think there are the possibilities of some dramatic improvements in capabilities for our country. One is the introduction of technologies that could dramatically decrease the timeline of forensic analysis, and to provide the capability to the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense and the intelligence community for very much improved stand-off detection capability of nuclear and radiological materials. And we think the thread that ties this together is comprehensive understanding end-to-end of the life cycle of these materials. That would position the Laboratory to play a major role for multiple sponsors across this entire threat space.
