The Atomic Wall

Me, five years ago in Wired:

the advent of small nuclear weapons and dirty bombs — deliverable not by missiles and planes but by trucks and vans — suggests a new kind of urban perimeter defense, an atomic wall. Set up not as an actual barrier but as a vast array of sensors, such a technology would exploit the fact that any radiological or nuclear weapon leaves a footprint. For example, a ring of radiation detection devices deployed along the Beltway could scan every road, alley, and rail line that brings people within 14 miles of the White House. If nuclear material crossed the line, sensors would alert emergency response teams, which would intercept the vehicle before it entered the city.

The New York Times, this morning:

... later this year, the federal government plans to begin setting up an elaborate network of radiation alarms at some bridges, tunnels, roadways and waterways into New York, creating a 50-mile circle around the city.

Comments

[Dave G.]

But wouldn't the shielding to stop you from getting radiation sickness while transporting the nuclear material render the sensors useless? I wonder how much radiation would have to be put out to differentiate the payload from the surrounding background radiation? Maybe they're pre-calibrated to the surrounding radiation levels?

'Mexicans crossing the boarder!? Why we'll just put up a fence!'

[nickb]

Hmm... do you do stock picks?