VADODARA, May 19: The recent tests conducted at Pokhran, contrary to the publicity, were based on technology developed decades back, said Jashbhai Patel, a city-based physicist and a Ph.D from the Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA. But according to him, the aura of the achievement stems mainly from the secrecy that surrounds it.Giving details, Patel told Express Newsline, that this sophisticated nuclear technology was made accessible to the developing countries in 1960 by German scientists, who innovated the technology. They also developed a cheaper method to separate uranium, which they called the `centrifuge method' he added.The German innovation was not as complicated as propagated, but only well-documented, he said. But it was in 1964 that the Chinese used the technology to develop its nuclear devices and India followed a decade later. It is the same technology which was used for thermo-nuclear as well as other detonation, he said.The technology is primarily the separation of uranium atom into alpha, beta, gama particles. Alpha is helium atom without electron, Beta is electron and Gama is high-energy photon, he explained.A slim difference separates the process of making a nuclear bomb and producing nuclear power, which makes the nuclear devices very hazardous, he pointed out. If the chain reaction is controlled, then it is nuclear power, but if it was not then it becomes a nuclear bomb. Chernobyl has amply demonstrated the disastrous effect of nuclear devices and hence the protest against nuclear power stations, says the physicist, who has taught at several places in India.According to him, the underground detonation in the Thar desert would have far-reaching geophysical and environmental consequences. The entire inner structure of the earth will be shattered. The structures surrounded with sand at that depth is very likely to be converted to glass. With high radio-activity, it will be difficult to conduct any further research, Patel observed.To illustrate his point, the physicist cites that a huge crater of glass was the result of a America's nuclear detonation in New Mexican desert.Surendra Gadekar, editor of Anumukti, a quarterly magazine, is convinced that the Indian government had conducted the nuclear detonations with the American administration's nod. ``Otherwise the total failure of the US Intelligence to provide advance warning is difficult to comprehend,'' he adds.Quoting an article published in Global Security in 1996, `Investigating allegations of Indian Nuclear test preparations in the Rajasthan desert: A CTBT verification exercise using commercial satellite imagery', he said that it was amply proved that India did make preparations in December 1995 to conduct the test.``From the BJP's point of view these tests were god sent and they have already reaped the political benefits,'' he observed.According to Gadekar, the best part of the deal for the American would be an open and free sale of peaceful nuclear technology to the South Asian regions. The American nuclear manufacturing industry was badly affected and with the imminent deregularisation of the utility markets there was no hope in the future for the second nuclear age coming into existence, he added.
