Technical Knowledge and Skills - Continued

DOE-STD-3015-2004

Firing

High explosives

Fissionable material

Fissile material - primary and secondary

Detonators

Boosting device

NESSG chairs and other members must have knowledge of nuclear detonation safety

design concepts.

Supporting Knowledge and/or Skills

a. Describe the following nuclear detonation safety design concepts:

The concept of isolation:

Identify when barriers are breached during assembly/disassembly.

Identify when strong links are absent or potentially bypassed.

The concept of incompatibility:

Identify available energy sources and their effects on nuclear explosive components.

Identify available signals that could drive a unique signal discriminator.

The concept of inoperability:

Give examples of weak links in various nuclear explosives.

Describe the features and safety role of the weak link(s).

The concept of independence:

Describe common-mode failure and give examples relevant to nuclear weapon

designs.

b. Discuss the role of first principles in the implementation of the nuclear detonation safety

design principles (safety theme).

c. Describe nuclear explosive components or features that have been employed to provide

isolation, inoperability, and incompatibility, including:

Barriers

Weak links

Strong links

Unique signals

d. Describe nuclear explosive design features that have been employed to prevent/mitigate

fissile material dispersal, including:

Insensitive high explosives (IHEs)

Fire-resistant pits

A-9