Mapping and analyzing nuclear weapons programs development
Name
1191903752-MIT.pdf
Size
150.81 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
24dba1362b166e9334e4a065b7823132
Author(s)
Strei, Thomas J.III.
Advisor(s)
Robert P. Redwine.
Date Issued
2020
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
An in-depth review of the types of nuclear reactors and their relationship to the development of nuclear weapons was conducted in order to provide a better understanding of the intention of a state in the creation of an internal nuclear program. An analysis of countries that have developed nuclear weapons and countries that have not was conducted. Following this analysis, the relationship between the weapons program, or lack thereof, was compared to the research reactors possessed by the country. The political environment of the country was also taken into account in order to determine the motivations behind the nuclear weapons development. It was concluded that there are a myriad of factors at play in the decision made by a country to develop nuclear weapons. There is a direct correlation between the construction of research reactors that were previously utilized for weapons research and the pursuit of an independent nuclear weapons program. However, a political impetus is necessary for the proper motivation to develop nuclear weapons to exist.
Description
Thesis: S.B., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, May, 2020
Cataloged from the official PDF of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 23-25).
Subjects
Nuclear Science and Engineering.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering
Terms of Use
MIT theses may be protected by copyright. Please reuse MIT thesis content according to the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy, which is available through the URL provided.
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