The Bush Administration has long been pusing the notion that Iran has a nuclear weapons program. The NY times reports that the latest "evidence" is a laptop computer that the US stole from Iran.
The story (
here) states that the laptop contains simulation data that would most probably be used to create a nuclear warhead.
It contains alot of data that shows many types of simulations. For example a simulation for correct detonation altitude. Another simulation is used for correct warhead stability. Another simulation is used for correct explosive arrangement. The data ranges from 2001 till 2004.
The bottom line is that if Iran had these files on one of their computers, that would prove that they have a nuclear weapons program.
It just so happens that my PhD work and career involves simulations. And I know that the Admin's assertions are bogus.
- No one performs simulations on laptops. First of all, laptops have a very poor performance relative to workstations. The laptops that exist today do not have the hard drive space needed to run one simulation (page file size is too large). Second of all, simulations are very secret and sensitive, and organizations do not want someone to walk off with them. My previous statement refers to my work on modeling electronic components..... One would think that the same would be true for Iran's suspected secret nuclear weapons program.
- No one keeps over 3 years of simulations on the processing workstation (let alone a laptop). You will run out of space. One of my simulations takes up 2 GB of space... that is, after one day I have created 2GB of files. Over 3 years, I would create 2,000GB of files. The files have to be backed up onto optical media or some other low cost storage space. The laptop in question, which was created on or before 2001 would not have anything near storage space needed to store 3 years worth of simulations.
- One person does not perform all the simulations. I specialize in modeling the thermomechanical strain cracking of 2nd level lead based solder joint interconnects. Don't worry about what I just said... The point is that different people speciallize in different types of modeling. No one person should be performing all the simulation types that are on the laptop in question. Different people should be doing each type. Even the article states that the Admin has asserted that a whole team was using the laptop. However, the assertion that 12 people needed a simulation computer ... and they decided the best way to do it was with a laptop, is a total joke. This violates all logic of secrecy and efficency.
If Iran was running simulations for their suposid nuclear program it would go like this:
Server with controlled terminal access. The terminals have no disk drives, no USB ports and no other way to get data off. For every 1 individual working on the Nulcear program there would be 10 individuals on another legal project. There is an admin on duty at all times. When the IAEA shows up, a macro is run that deletes all work for the one and ten people that are working on the nuclear program. Backups of legal work are coppied over the same sectors of drives that the illegal work were written. Then the macro deletes itself.
But somehow it seems logical to Bush that Iran put all their illegal simulations onto one laptop so that someone could walk right past security in the most secure building in the nation of Iran and hand it over to US spies.
Regards,
Jamie
Update
David Albright tells us that the NY times misled the public in the article.
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=1300184&C=america
Regards,
Jamie