Coming to terms with Nuclear Terms
A shared nuclear language is the first step to enhance international cooperation on the fight against nuclear terrorism.
Nuclear forensics was highlighted in the 2010 Nuclear Security Summit Communiqué and Work Plan as an important tool for countering illicit nuclear trafficking, and governments committed to cooperating to further develop capabilities. As part of the international effort to improve the forensic analysis of radioactive material and nuclear devices, the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) is coordinating a project called Forensics in Nuclear Security.
This programme is designed to bring nuclear science and forensic science together by promoting the sharing of knowledge. The initial three areas of focus are terminology, best practices and training.
Facilitating international communication
Whenever groups of experts from different backgrounds start working together, terminology inevitably becomes an issue. To avoid any misunderstanding, and facilitate communication within the international community the NFI developed an online Nuclear Forensics Lexicon. This Lexicon contains agreed clear-cut definitions of key terms related to Nuclear Security, developed through discussion by experts on a restricted-access online forum and in close cooperation with the IAEA.
Do you want to update your understanding of nuclear terminology? The Nuclear Forensics Lexicon may be downloaded for free in the App Store and via Google Play.