Keeping Tabs on Nuclear Weapons…One Pixel at a Time

The Middlebury Institute’s James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies is at the forefront of using open source information and technical tools to support nonproliferation and disarmament verification. Satellite imagery, 3-dimensional modeling, geospatial data, new media, and virtual reality applications are key strengths in this work. Such tools extend the ability of non-governmental organizations to identify and determine the capabilities of proliferation-related activities, and track illicit transfers of technology. All of this enhances the ability of citizens worldwide to verify compliance with international arms control treaties. Melissa Hanham, Senior Research Associate, CNS/ META Lab, and Jeffrey Lewis, Director of East Asia Nonproliferation, CNS, will talk about some of their recent work focusing on North Korea’s nuclear weapons development and missile tests, and how we can use this kind of information to strengthen our policies in response to increasing levels of threat.