- On-site inspection methods and procedures have already been tested in several field exercises with the aim to take stock and to identify areas in need of improvement.
The CTBTO has regularly carried out exercises and field experiments to assess the effectiveness of the OSI regime, to make sure that it will be fully operational once the Treaty enters into force. The focus has been on one or more elements of an on-site inspection, testing and taking stock of already developed methods and procedures.
Considering the highly specialized activities that need to be carried out during an on-site inspection, choosing the right equipment is essential. On several occasions, different kinds of equipment have been tested for their on-site inspection suitability. Seismic aftershock measuring equipment was tested in Slovakia in 2001 and in Sweden in 2007. Italy, the United Kingdom and Australia hosted such tests for geophysical equipment in 2003, 2004 and 2005.
First field experiment: Kazakhstan, 1999
The first on-site inspection experiment took place at the former Soviet nuclear test site of Semipalatinsk in today’s Kazakhstan. The experiment was based on the explosion of a 100 ton conventional explosive device in an underground tunnel.
Apart from applying the relevant inspection techniques, the inspection team also tested various procedures, including the development of an inspection mandate, the sending of an inspection note to the surrogate inspected State Party (which in this case was Kazakhstan), the establishment of an inspection plan, the shipment of equipment, the deployment of the inspection team and the application of prescribed safety measures.
