Can Neutrino Detectors Strengthen the Nonproliferation Regime?

For 40 years, physicists have explored the idea using neutrino detectors to monitor nuclear activities, especially reactor operations. The challenge is detecting these weakly interacting particles in detectors of reasonable size and cost in cases where their signals would add value to existing monitoring techniques. This talk surveys hypothetical neutrino use cases, including roles in verifying a nuclear test ban treaty, discovering undeclared reactors, monitoring fissile material production in known reactors, and providing information about nuclear waste products. Even with recent advances in neutrino detection, most of the applications remain strongly limited by basic physical or practical constraints. In a few cases, existing or foreseeable neutrino technology has potential to complement more conventional approaches.