US military pioneers death ray bomb

Guardian ^ | 08/14/03 | David Adam and Suzanne Goldenberg

[bedolido]

American military scientists are developing a weapon which kills by delivering an enormous burst of high-energy gamma rays, it is claimed today. The bomb, which produces little fallout, blurs the distinction between conventional and nuclear weapons, and experts have already warned it could spark a new arms race. The science behind the gamma ray bomb is still in its infancy, and technical problems mean it could be decades before the devices are developed. But the Pentagon is taking the project seriously.

The plans are getting under way at a time when the Bush administration is seeking ways to expand its arsenal of unconventional weapons, and could well fuel charges that Washington risks triggering a new arms race.

In May, Congress approved further research on a new generation of tactical nuclear weapons: bunker busters, designed to drill into underground shelters, buried beneath hundreds of feet of con crete, and so-called mini-nukes with explosive yields of less than five kilotons.

Critics say such research projects, though tiny by the standards of the Pentagon, risk igniting a new arms race. They also charge the administration with seeking to put in place the conditions to end a ban on nuclear testing.

According to New Scientist magazine, the gamma ray bombs are already included in the US department of defence's militarily critical technologies list - a wish list of possible weapons technology that America considers essential to maintaining its superior firepower.

They would not have the awesome destructive power of nuclear weapons, but the energy emitted from a gamma ray bomb would be thousands of times greater than from conventional chemical explosives.

"Such extraordinary energy density has the potential to revolutionise all aspects of warfare," the magazine quotes the defence department list as saying.

The device would not produce energy by triggering a nuclear fission or fusion reaction, like current nuclear weapons. Instead it would rely on the gamma rays produced when the high-energy nuclei of some radioactive elements decay.

Four years ago, scientists at the University of Texas in Dallas showed that it was possible to trigger this effect artificially. The possibility that this decay process, which usually takes place very slowly, could be accelerated and used in a weapon grabbed the attention of the Pentagon. Scientists at the Air Force Research Laboratory in New Mexico are studying whether this can be achieved.

Such weapons would allow military commanders to increase firepower without being forced to push the nuclear button. Experts have warned that if the US scientists succeed in building a gamma ray bomb, it could force other countries to start nuclear programmes, or worse, encourage those who already possess nuclear weapons to use them.

"Many countries which will not have access to these weapons will produce nuclear weapons as a deterrent," Andre Gsponer, director of the Independent Scientific Research Institute in Geneva, told New Scientist. Just one gram of the explosive would store more energy than 50kg of conventional TNT. It would be as expensive as enriched uranium, but less would be needed for a bomb. Unlike uranium, it does not need a critical mass of material to maintain the nuclear reaction.

It would produce little radioactive fallout compared with an atomic explosion, but could cause long-term health problems for anyone breathing the particles in.

[bedolido]

wasn't there a similar bomb talked about in the 70's? I think it was called the Neutron bomb.

[rrrod]

wow.....lov it when the euroweenies get soooooooooo upset

[Pikamax]

"American military scientists are developing a weapon which kills by delivering an enormous burst of high-energy gamma rays, it is claimed today. "

Hey, this is how The Hulk got started.

[DallasMike]

...could well fuel charges that Washington risks triggering a new arms race.

With who?

[SengirV]

HULK SMASH!!!

[GreenLanternCorps]

Hey, gamma rays are also how the Fantastic Four got there powers too! I got dibs on Human Torch!


Unless there are some radioactive spiders around...

[CholeraJoe]

You are correct, however the neutron bomb actually detonated and went "boom." As I read this article, these bombs go poof and kill everything within a kilometer or two.

[rrrod]

rigorous testing is required..may i suggest france and germany as perfect testing sites

[dts32041]

Hum that is what I thought, BTW it was one of two things worth a damn done by billy carter's brother.

[Puppage]

[inquest]

China, for one, since they already have the neutron bomb (which we essentially gave to them). Although it would be more accurate to say that we're finally joining the arms race, not "triggering" it.

[bmwcyle]

You are correct. They might be trying to project the rays with a different method but the killing element is the same.

[Howie]

I remember whispers of a "death ray" battle-rifle. One that could slice an advancing force in half like butter. One that could fry tanks and jets from a mile away. If we developed it we obviously don't have the huevos to deploy it.

[gnarledmaw]

You realize that now that youve stumbled upon the Pentagons "real" intent of this program (mutant generation) that you are either going to fall repeatedly in the shower or have your brakes go out, no?

[r9etb]

Four years ago, scientists at the University of Texas in Dallas showed that it was possible to trigger this effect artificially. The possibility that this decay process, which usually takes place very slowly, could be accelerated and used in a weapon grabbed the attention of the Pentagon. Scientists at the Air Force Research Laboratory in New Mexico are studying whether this can be achieved.

More interestingly, this would appear to offer a new and interesting approach to the disposal of radioactive waste -- which up to now has been the biggest bugaboo facing the nuclear power industry.

[tom h]

"wasn't there a similar bomb talked about in the 70's? I think it was called the Neutron bomb."

Uhhh ... the neutron bomb emits neutrons, and the gamma ray bomb emits gamma rays. Kinda different -- especially to a nuclear physicist.

[spoiler2]

"...allow military commanders to increase firepower without being forced to push the nuclear button."

This is like arguing over the technicalities of full-term abortion. You're still killing masses of innocent people, who aren't involved in the conflict personally, no matter HOW you kill them.

I really thought we had learned something with the Iraq conflict, such as how to wage a concentrated campaign on an avowed madman, with the LEAST amount of unintended deaths of civilians.

[bedolido]

Uhhh ... the neutron bomb emits neutrons, and the gamma ray bomb emits gamma rays. Kinda different -- especially to a nuclear physicist.

From a lay person (who slept thru his science classes)... thanks for the needed info.

[Cincinatus]

Hey, gamma rays are also how the Fantastic Four got there powers too!

Nope. Reed Richards et al. were exposed to cosmic rays, which are the high energy nuclei of heavy elements, like iron. They are mostly created in, and thrown about the galaxy from, exploding supernovae.