Michael S. Lorrey <retroman@turbont.net> Wrote:
>Have them set to set off air-network alarm through other nanites when
>they come in contact with weapons grade plutonium, and to home in on
>sources of helium (which is an alpha decay product, right?) as a sniffing
>protocol, and you've got your detection without universal surveillance.
That doesn't sound practical because the 3 fissionable substances used in
bombs are not very radioactive and so they would produce little helium.
Plutonium has a half life of 24,000 years, U235 is even less radioactive with
a half life of 700 million years, and U238 used in H bombs is almost stable,
its half life is 4.5 billion years. Natural ores such as pitchblende as well as
many Potassium reach deposits are at least as radioactive as bomb components.
John K Clark jonkc@att.net
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