Nuclear Industrial Complex Research Articles

Nuclear Nuevo México: Colonialism and the Effects of the Nuclear Industrial Complex on Nuevomexicanos by Myrriah Gómez (review)

Nuclear Nuevo México: Colonialism and the Effects of the Nuclear Industrial Complex on Nuevomexicanos by Myrriah Gómez (review)

Pacific women's anti-nuclear poetry: centring Indigenous knowledges

Abstract This article expands feminist IR research on global nuclear politics by presenting a heretofore unassembled archive of Indigenous Pacific women's anti-nuclear poetry and by arguing for the importance of this poetry as a transformative mover of international discourse on nuclear imperialisms. Pacific activists, and especially women, have been some of the world's most active opponents to the global nuclear industrial complex, systematically working on the frontline of grassroots organizing in the Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific (NFIP) movement. Yet, the role played by Pacific women in the movement is understudied. To begin rectifying this omission, we chronologically retrace the evolution and the complexity of women's role in the global anti-nuclear movement by outlining the history of the development of anti-nuclear conferences in the 1970s understood alongside and also through Pacific women's poetic reflection on and activism against nuclearization in the Pacific. The poems by Pacific women presented in this article contribute to debates about nuclear politics in feminist IR and beyond, as they bring Pacific Islander voices into view and provide a more complex picture of Indigenous organizing, highlighting tensions based on gender and class within organizations such as the NFIP movement. In addition, these poems also contribute to ongoing challenges in IR to what constitutes valid forms of political discourse, by pushing back against the field's patriarchal tendency to favour administrative language and statistical reports at the expense of embodied knowledge and emotional experience. As such, this article also addresses broader questions of knowledge production in IR, particularly in the context of debates about decolonizing the field, and advocates for centring Indigenous knowledges of international politics.

Key Objects of the Nuclear Legacy of the Soviet Nuclear Project: Lake Karachay

The article considers the formation of Russis’s nuclear-industrial complex in the light of radioecological consequences. The USSR atomic project is known to have played a major role in the history of our country in the second half of the 20th century, largely determining its political and socio-economic development. The main result of its implementation was the creation of the country’s nuclear shield, which made it possible to ensure the defense capability and national security of our state, which has not lost its relevance today. Along with this, the Soviet nuclear program gave rise to a whole range of problems, including those in the field of ecology and environmental protection, and led to many unforeseen long-term consequences. On the example of the enterprises of the nuclear complex of the Urals, and, first of all, the chemical plant «Mayak» (now the production association «Mayak»), which played a key role in the creation of atomic weapons, the reasons for the emergence of nuclear and radiation legacy are identified, the environmental consequences and risks associated with it are assessed, and the content of measures to eliminate them is analyzed. Given that the radioecological problems of the development of the nuclear industry are still acute, the experience of the past is especially in demand. Further study of the complex of issues related to the nuclear legacy and the ongoing efforts to resolve them will make it possible to supplement the existing understanding of the content and consequences of the implementation of the domestic uranium project, the history of Russia and its regions affected by the activities of nuclear enterprises, as well as take a fresh look at the possibilities and risks of development of the nuclear industry.

On the formation of the first Soviet industrial service of dosimetric control at the Ural nuclear plants (1945–1960)

The subject of this research is the process of organizing dosimetric service on the example of the Ural nuclear complex, primarily, the most powerful plutonium plant, the pioneer of the domestic nuclear industry – “Mayak” chemical plant in the 1945 – 1960. In the course of development of complex and hazardous for people and nature nuclear technologies, the problems of radiation protection of personnel at the first nuclear facilities became urgent, as most employees have been exposed to radiation. This required a set of emergency measures to create of safe working conditions and organize dosimetric control of nuclear energy workers. Based on the declassified archival documents, a substantial part of which is being introduced into the scientific discourse for the first time, as well as the reminiscences of the Soviet nuclear project participants, the article describes the peculiarities of formation of the first domestic service of industrial dosimetry, and provides periodization of this process. This defines the scientific novelty of the research. The use of historical and genetic method allowed outlining the prerequisites for the creation of the service of dosimetric control of the nuclear energy workers, its conditionality by the specificity of implementation of the Soviet uranium project, and a range of attendant problems. The method of historical periodization determined the key stages in organizing the dosimetric service in the context of establishment of the nuclear industrial complex. The historical-retrospective method allowed assessing the results of the activity of the scholars, leadership of the chemical plant “Mayak”, experts of dosimetric service aimed at solution of the issues related to radiation protection from the standpoint of time distance. The conclusion is made that the first domestic dosimetric service formed during the difficult period of the development of plutonium production in the Ural Region and committed work of its employees considerably contributed to ensuring safety of working conditions and preserving health and lives of thousands of the participants of the crucial for the country nuclear project

Становление атомной промышленности на Урале в аспекте радиационной безопасности

This study examines the formation of the nuclear industry in the Urals from the perspective of radiation safety, identifies objective and subjective factors that led to problems in the field of radiation protection of nuclear facility personnel in the process of developing nuclear production, an assessment of the level and extent of radiation exposure to operating personnel. The author notes that the creation of the domestic nuclear industry took place in extremely difficult conditions of the post-war period and was fraught with many difficulties, especially at the initial stage of the formation of the nuclear industrial complex. During the years of commissioning and development of the first nuclear facilities, first of all, the industry pioneer the Mayak chemical plant, production personnel had to work under conditions of increased radioactive radiation. The experimental nature of plutonium production in the Urals, the novelty of the problem, the miscalculations and mistakes of designers and scientists, the extremely small amount of knowledge about the effects of radiation on a living organism, the secrecy regime and a number of other reasons led to the emergence of an emergency radiation situation at all main production facilities of the chemical plant, which entailed a significant re-irradiation of nuclear facility personnel. However, at that time, the problems of radiation protection of personnel did not have priority for the country's top political leadership. The main thing was to get plutonium for the first Soviet atomic bomb in the shortest possible time, regardless of the cost.

FORECASTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

The article is devoted to the development of an approach to forecasting the level of development of the nuclear industrial complex of Ukraine. The main purpose of this work is to forecast the level of development of the nuclear industry of Ukraine on the basis of the formed system of indicators that characterize both quantitative and qualitative changes in its operation. General scientific and special research methods, methods of analytical equalization, correlation and regression analysis, and scenario approach were used in the work, which in general allowed to fulfill the purpose of forecasting the level of development of the nuclear industrial complex of Ukraine. Statistical material on the indicators of attraction and use of production means, investment and innovation resources as the main sources of development of the nuclear industrial complex is collected and systematized. Growth rates that characterize quantitative and qualitative changes by sources of development are calculated; on this basis, an integrated assessment of the development of the nuclear industrial complex of Ukraine is given, its type is determined. An approach to forecasting the development of the nuclear industrial complex has been developed. Based on the developed approach, forecasting of development indicators was carried out. The forecast calculations have shown that in the forecast period it is possible to ensure further development with a focus on innovation, due to the increase of generalized indicators of development by its individual sources and the integrated indicator of development as a whole. The results of forecasting can create a basis for making sound management decisions in the field of managing the development of the nuclear industry.

Energiewende, 20 years later - [CrossTalk

IN 2000, GERMANY launched a deliberately targeted program to decarbonize its primary energy supply, a plan more ambitious than anything seen anywhere else. The policy, called the Energiewende, is rooted in Germany's naturalistic and romantic tradition, reflected in the rise of the Green Party and, more recently, in public opposition to nuclear electricity generation. These attitudes are not shared by the country's two large neighbors: France built the world's leading nuclear industrial complex with hardly any opposition, and Poland is content burning its coal.

Інституційні умови розвитку атомно-промислового комплексу та управління радіоактивними відходами в Україні

Trends in the development of the nuclear-industrial complex and radioactive waste management are analyzed. Among the main problems of development of the nuclear-industrial complex and radioactive waste management are the imperfection of the legal framework, lack of investment. The contribution of the nuclear industry of Ukraine to the creation of gross domestic product is not significant, but its role is important in ensuring economic security and achieving energy independence of the country. The state of the nuclear-industrial complex in other countries of the world has been studied. It is expedient to use an innovative approach for the development of the nuclear-industrial complex. This approach is presented as a set of three interrelated blocks, namely: methodological and informational; diagnostic and orientation; evaluation and procedural. Directly, the nuclear-industrial complex, which is a leading link in the nuclear-energy complex of Ukraine, can be considered a complex sector of the national economy, including: uranium production, which creates a basis for meeting the needs of nuclear power plants in natural uranium in the medium and long term; zirconium production, which involves the establishment of zirconium production. The results of the implementation of the regional program for the development of the nuclear-industrial complex should include the following: increasing the competitiveness of enterprises in key strategic industries: nuclear, mining, metallurgy, chemical and mechanical engineering; increasing the innovation of production through the development of scientific potential of the region, the commercialization of the scientific process; development of enterprises on the basis of the latest technologies of industrial waste processing, including for the development of the region's infrastructure; reduction of man-caused load on the environment; creating more attractive and diverse jobs; ensuring the stabilization of social processes in the mining regions. One of the directions of modernization of the nuclear-industrial complex of Ukraine is the creation of SMR reactors (Smallmodularreactor) and its installation instead of the existing ones. Their production must be carried out at Ukrainian enterprises. The necessity of increasing the volume of uranium production, the level of its enrichment and at the same time solving environmental issues on waste disposal is substantiated.

World Trends in the Development of the Nuclear Energy Complex and their Impact on the Nuclear Industry of Ukraine

The article analyzes development trends of the nuclear-industrial complex. Among the main problems of development of nuclear-industrial complex determined inadequate legal framework, lack of investment. the required amount of enriched uranium in nuclear fuel purchased by Ukraine only in the Russian Federation. The necessity of development sequence the stages of the innovation-oriented development of nuclear-industrial complex of Ukraine on the basis of strategic determinants. Directly the nuclear-industrial complex, which is the leading element of the nuclear energy complex of Ukraine can be considered a complex sector of the national economy that includes production of uranium, which forms the basis to meet the needs of nuclear power plants in natural uranium in the medium and long term; Zirconia production, which includes the establishment of the production of zirconium, which is the main structural material for the fabrication of nuclear fuel, given its unique physical properties of the weak interaction with neutron flux in the reactorcore; manufacture of ion-exchange materials and to ensure the full production of uranium of Ukraine; production of fuel assemblies and components as a key link in the creation of our own nuclear-fuel cycle; research, design and information support of scientific research. In Ukraine there is no specialized institution that would deal with the coordination of the research questions regarding the development of nuclear-industrial complex. The significance and weight of the atomic-industrial complex of Ukraine in the creation of the gross domestic product is not significant, but its role is important in ensuring economic security and achieving energy independence of the country. The state of the atomic-industrial complex in other countries of the world has been investigated. For the development of nuclear-industrial complex, it is advisable to use an innovative approach. This approach is represented as a set of three interconnected units, namely: methodical-information unit; diagnostic-estimated; estimating procedure. The necessity of increasing the volume of uranium mining, the level of its enrichment and at the same time solving environmental issues of waste disposal has been substantiated.

Tendencies and Prospects of the Ukrainian Nuclear Industrial Complex Development

The article analyzes development trends of the nuclear-industrial complex. Among the main problems of development of nuclear-industrial complex determined inadequate legal framework, lack of investment. The required amount of enriched uranium in nuclear fuel purchased by Ukraine only in the Russian Federation. Russia supplies the stockpile of uranium-235 after enrichment not less than 0.3%. The necessity of development sequence the stages of the innovation-oriented development of nuclear-industrial complex of Ukraine on the basis of strategic determinants. Directly the nuclear-industrial complex, which is the leading element of the nuclear energy complex of Ukraine can be considered a complex sector of the national economy that includes production of uranium, which forms the basis to meet the needs of nuclear power plants in natural uranium in the medium and long term; Zirconia production, which includes the establishment of the production of zirconium, which is the main structural material for the fabrication of nuclear fuel, given its unique physical properties of the weak interaction with neutron flux in the reactor core; manufacture of ion-exchange materials and to ensure the full production of uranium of Ukraine; production of fuel assemblies and components as a key link in the creation of our own nuclear-fuel cycle; research, design and information support of scientific research. In Ukraine there is no specialized institution that would deal with the coordination of the research questions regarding the development of nuclear-industrial complex. The contribution of the nuclear-industrial complex of Ukraine in the creation of gross domestic product is not significant, but its role is important in ensuring economic security and achieving energy independence. The basic principles for the development of nuclear-industrial complex should be reflected in the state Program of development of the industry and development strategy of the region. For the development of nuclear-industrial complex, it is advisable to use an innovative approach. This approach is represented as a set of three interconnected units, namely: methodical-information unit; diagnostic-estimated; estimating procedure. Reasonably necessary to increase the volume of uranium production, increase the level of its enrichment and at the same time to solve environmental issues on waste management.

Prior malignant neoplasms as a risk factor for the second cancer in a cohort of employees of enterprises of the nuclear industrial complex

Purpose. Assessment of the persistence ofprevious malignancy as a risk factor for the detection of subsequent cancer in a cohort of nuclear workers. Material and methods. Retrospective cohort study with 60 years of follow-up on 22.373 workers of nuclear facility recruited from 1948 to 2008, with the use of data on individual external and internal dosimetry, and information about cancer incidence and mortality rate due to cancer neoplasma (CN). Results. In the studied cohort second and subsequent CN were diagnosed in 6,4% cases, out of them 92,4% were cases of second cancers, in other cases the number of CN was more than two. 8% of cases ofprimary multiple cancers were presented by non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC). Mean age ofpersons with more than one diagnosis of cancer was 67 years. The relative risk of the detection of second CN (excepting NMSC) among persons with already diagnosed previous cancer was about 4 times higher in comparison in persons without diagnosis of solid cancer. Discussion. Detected solid tumors were proposed to be diagnosed in the order of their occurrence, but it cannot be excluded that in different latent periods of solid cancers of various localization this condition may fail to comply. The radiotherapy and the effect of dispanserization could play the essential role in the occurrence of second and subsequent cancers when the possibility of the detection of CN in a patient being under dispensary observation by oncologist is higher than in persons without dispensary observation. At the same time, the one possibility of carcinogenic effect of the first malignancy must not be excluded. Conclusions. Cancer risk among nuclear workers who have previous malignancy was 4 times higher in comparison with workers who had no previous diagnosis of cancer.

Analysis of symmetrical translocations for retrospective biodosimetry in radiation workers of the Mayak nuclear-industrial complex (Southern Urals) using FISH-chromosome painting

Purpose: Frequencies of symmetrical translocations were determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for retrospective biodosimetry in workers occupationally exposed to external gamma -rays and internal plutonium at the Mayak nuclear-industrial complex (Southern Urals, Russia). Materials and methods : Chromosome analyses were carried out on peripheral lymphocytes from 75 Mayak workers who had received their main exposures between 1948 and 1963. Cumulative external gamma -ray doses between 0.02 and 9.91 Sv and plutonium burdens ranging between 0.26 and 18.5kBq are reported. As controls, 33 unexposed persons from noncontaminated areas of the Southern Urals were used. Wholechromosome painting probes for chromosomes 1, 4 and 12 were used simultaneously with a pancentromeric probe. Results : Compared with the control group, a significantly elevated translocation frequency was found for the total study group and for either of two subsets with (48 subjects) and without (27 subjects) plutonium incorporation. The dicentric frequency was not significantly different from the control level. In the pooled data set, translocation frequencies showed a significant dependence on cumulative external gamma -ray doses. Plutonium uptake had no substantial influence. Individual dose estimates for 21 cases exhibiting at least five translocations ranged between 0.5 and 1.8 Gy, which is substantially lower than the workers' registered personal doses. Conclusion : At 35-40 years after protracted exposure to low-dose rate external gamma -rays, the postulated lifetime stability of translocations cannot be confirmed. Apparently, the natural loss of translocation-bearing peripheral lymphocytes cannot be fully compensated so that a temporal decline even of transmissible aberrations takes place. As a consequence, individual retrospective biodosimetry estimates cannot be obtained reliably from the remaining fraction of translocations.

Secrets of the Soviet nuclear complex

Hundreds of thousands of engineers, scientists, and workers found employment in the nuclear complexes of the former Soviet Union. Now, in the aftermath of the USSR's demise, details of its nuclear-industrial complex are coming to light. The huge industry which descended from the notorious gulags must now dispose of myriad warheads, fissile materials by the tonne, plus reactors. The author describes this secretive Soviet industry.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

A nuclear education campaign

The threat of a nuclear war creates a chronic erosion of moral and intellectual integrity and places the future of humanity in the hands of a few hundred people. The nuclear elite probably requires a degree of psychological numbing and desensitization in order to separate themselves emotionally from decisions that might require exercise of their power. They may also lose the ability to question basic assumptions and may identify themselves with the rightness of their policies and the need to use nuclear technology to preserve those policies. To reform the nuclear-industrial complex, the American public must become educated to give the prevention of nuclear war a higher priority than the economy. Fears and anxieties may underlie apparent apathy, taking the form of denial and a focus on immediate problems. A campaign by knowledgeable people to educate the public should stress the empirical data necessary for objectivity and should use a multidisciplinary approach in the same way that recent death education programs have broken the taboos about discussing the Nazi holocaust. An outline of a nuclear-education program suggests a number of social and economic benefits. 13 references. (DCK)