简介:TheAtomicWeaponsEstablishment(AWE)istaskedwithsupportingContinuousAtSeaDeterrence(CASD)bycertifyingtheperformanceandsafetyofthenationaldeterrentintheComprehensiveTestBanTreaty(CTBT)era.Thismeansthatrecoursetofurtherundergroundtestingisnotpossible,andcertificationmustbeachievedbysupplementingthehistoricaldatawiththeuseofcomputercalculation.Inordertofacilitatethis,AWEoperatessomeofthelargestsupercomputersintheUK.Tovalidatethecomputercodes,andindeedthedesignerswhoareusingthem,itisnecessarytocarryoutfurtherexperimentsintherightregimes.Anexcellentwaytomeetmanyoftherequirementsformaterialpropertydataandtoprovideconfidenceinthevalidityofthealgorithmsisthroughexperimentscarriedoutonhighpowerlaserfacilities.