American Nuclear Society response to Science article, “The weapons potential of high-assay low-enriched uranium” by Kemp et al.
ANS open letter to Science magazine challenging claims about HALEU
September 3, 2024
Dr. Holden Thorp
Editor-in-Chief, Science
Subject: Science magazine Policy Forum article “The weapons potential of high-assay low-enriched uranium” published June 2024
Dear Dr. Thorp:
The American Nuclear Society—a professional nuclear science and technology society representing more than 10,000 members worldwide—writes this open letter to address concerns regarding Science magazine’s June 2024 Policy Forum article, entitled “The weapons potential of high-assay low-enriched uranium” by R. Scott Kemp, Edwin S. Lyman, Mark R. Deinert, Richard L. Garwin, and Frank N. von Hippel.
The article describes the potential misuse of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU)1. We acknowledge the importance of this discussion and the necessity of continually evaluating the proliferation risks associated with nuclear materials. However, after extensive technical review of the article by members and officers of the ANS Fuel Cycle and Waste Management Division and the ANS Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy Division, we remain unconvinced of the positions advocated by the authors.
