The dangers of nuclear tests


Experts Still Working on North Korean Nuclear Claim

The U.S. Defense Department says it is stillabout it, for example, picking up on Internet
evaluating data from the explosion and smalltraffic, voice messages, things like that. In
earth tremor in North Korea on Monday tomay be that the National Security Agency will
determine whether it was in fact anhave  some  information  also,"  he  said.
underground nuclear test, as the North Korean
government  claims.Another analyst, former CNN reporter Mike
Chinoy of the Pacific Council on
Nearly two full days after the explosion inInternational Policy, who has visited North
North Korea, U.S. officials, includingKorea 14 times, says although it is always
Pentagon Spokesman Bryan Whitman, cannot saydifficult to know what the country's leaders
for sure whether it was a nuclear explosionare thinking, he cannot imagine they would
or  not.pretend  to  conduct  a  nuclear  test.
He said, "We're continuing to assess theHe said, "Without being privy to all the
event to determine the veracity of the claimscientific and intelligence information, my
made by the North Korean government that theyown sense is that it would be unlikely for
conducted  an  underground  nuclear  test."the North Koreans to risk the kind of
reaction they're getting around the world,
Whitman says it takes time to analyze thepolitically, or to take the step of
seismic data, conduct atmospheric tests andannouncing it this way, both the
do other work he cannot discuss to determineinternational community and their own people,
what caused the explosion. And he notes thatif they weren't trying to explode something
the work is being done in several parts ofthat  had  a  nuclear  component."
the U.S. government and by government and
private  researchers  around  the  world.Some analysts say the North Korean explosion
may have been a failed nuclear test, or one
Former Defense Department technology officialthat  worked  only  partially.
Philip Coyle, who is now with the Center for
Defense Information, says the North KoreanThe Washington Times newspaper quotes unnamed
event  is  particularly  hard  to  analyze.U.S. intelligence officials as saying that is
exactly what happened. And a South Korean
He said, "Well, a reason it's taking so longnewspaper quotes a North Korean diplomat as
is that it appears to be quite a smallsaying  the  same  thing.
nuclear test. Perhaps less than a kiloton,
which sounds like a lot but is actually smallThat would fit what is known so far about the
as  nuclear  devices  go."North Korean explosion. Philip Coyle at the
Center for Defense Information says there
The former official, who has 40 years ofwould not seem to be any reason for North
experience in nuclear testing and evaluation,Korea to do such a small test intentionally,
says it is difficult to isolate the impact ofbut the secretive state might have wanted to
such a small explosion among all the seismickeep  the  world  guessing.
movements  detected by sensors in the region.
"If North Korea's purpose here is to be seen
But he says once the event is isolated,as a major nuclear power, you might think
experts can determine whether it was anthey would want unambiguous test result[s].
earthquake, a conventional explosion or aBut perhaps they meant to make it small. It's
nuclear detonation. He says a nuclearhard  to  know,"  he  said.
explosion originates from a much smaller
source than an earthquake or conventionalOn Tuesday, White House Spokesman Tony Snow
explosion  of  the  same  magnitude.said the world may never know for sure
whether the North Korean explosion was
In addition, Philip Coyle says efforts havenuclear. But the Pentagon spokesman, Bryan
no doubt been made to sample the air nearWhitman, said he believes experts will come
North Korea. But he says any exhaust fromup  with  a  clear  answer.
such a small test could be very difficult to
detect, and North Korea says there was noHe said, "We don't have to guess. We don't
such  exhaust.have to speculate. We will know in time. And
when  we  know,  I'm  sure  you'll  know."
Beyond that, Coyle says, intelligence
agencies are also likely seeking indicationsWhitman would not say how long the analysis
of  whether  the  test  was  real  or  not.will take, but testing expert Philip Coyle
says he thinks there should be a definitive
"There may be some intelligence thatanswer within another couple of days.
intelligence agencies will be able to get



1 A B C 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90