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Nuclear weapons: Difference between revisions
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* Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin's ''[http://www.amazon.com/American-Prometheus-Triumph-Tragedy-Oppenheimer/dp/0375726268/ref=pd_sim_b_2 American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer]'' (winner of the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in biography) | * Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin's ''[http://www.amazon.com/American-Prometheus-Triumph-Tragedy-Oppenheimer/dp/0375726268/ref=pd_sim_b_2 American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer]'' (winner of the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in biography) | ||
==Basic Physics== | ==Basic Physics== | ||
'''A nuclei sufficiently deformed as a result of | |||
* Energy-mass equivalence - electron-volts - curve of binding energy - energy scales (chemical vs nuclear vs annihilative) | * Energy-mass equivalence - electron-volts - curve of binding energy - energy scales (chemical vs nuclear vs annihilative) | ||
* Pressure - temperature - ideal gases - brownian motion - radiative ablation - ionization - plasmas | * Pressure - temperature - ideal gases - brownian motion - radiative ablation - ionization - plasmas | ||
* The atom - the nucleus - periodic table - size scales (electron vs proton vs neutron vs alpha particle vs large nucleus vs atomic radius vs molecular size) | * The atom - the nucleus - periodic table - size scales (electron vs proton vs neutron vs alpha particle vs large nucleus vs atomic radius vs molecular size) | ||
* Shell models of the atom and nucleus - Coulomb potentials - Yukawa potentials | * Shell models of the atom and nucleus - Coulomb potentials - Yukawa potentials | ||
* Neutron absorption and scattering - fission probability - pre- and post-scission - Doppler broadening | |||
** Neutron effect is a function of (a) incident neutron energy (b) many-body nucleon-nucleon forces and (c) luck | ** Neutron effect is a function of (a) incident neutron energy (b) many-body nucleon-nucleon forces and (c) luck | ||
** Resonance with nucleus activation energies leads to preferring absorption over scattering | ** Resonance with nucleus activation energies leads to preferring absorption over scattering | ||
** An absorption might deform the nucleus sufficiently that a two-body Coulomb system overpowers the SNF | |||
*** This is the probability of fissioning, as opposed to merely emitting a γ. | |||
** Nucleon-nucleon forces are typically described in per-{isotope X fine structure} terms, ignoring hyperfine details | ** Nucleon-nucleon forces are typically described in per-{isotope X fine structure} terms, ignoring hyperfine details | ||
** Result: for a given isotope, there's a function taking {excitation level X neutron energy} to {fission probability} | ** Result: for a given isotope, there's a function taking {excitation level X neutron energy} to {first-order fission probability} | ||
* | * Electrodynamics - strong nuclear force - weak nuclear force - quantum tunneling | ||
** Thermal neutrons can't classically cross Coulomb repulsions, but tunneling permits π-induced fission (π = pion, aka any of 3 π-mesons) | ** Thermal neutrons can't classically cross Coulomb repulsions, but tunneling permits π-induced fission (π = pion, aka any of 3 π-mesons) | ||
* Stable and unstable isotopes - half-life / expected time to decay | * Stable and unstable isotopes - half-life / expected time to decay - odd-even mass differences | ||
* Radiations (alpha, beta, gamma) - transmutations (there are many!) | * Radiations (alpha, beta, gamma) - transmutations (there are many!) | ||
* Liquid drop model - superdeformation - hyperdeformation - compound | * Liquid drop model - superdeformation - hyperdeformation - compound nucleus | ||
* Nilsson model - (two-humped) fission barrier - fission isomer | |||
===Reactor Physics/Fuel Cycle=== | ===Reactor Physics/Fuel Cycle=== | ||
* Oklo (Gabon) natural reactor - Natural materials: | * Oklo (Gabon) natural reactor - Natural materials: | ||
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** Thorium. | ** Thorium. | ||
* Neutron moderators - fueling - MOX - breeders - feedbacks - inherently safe designs | * Neutron moderators - fueling - MOX - breeders - feedbacks - inherently safe designs | ||
* Recycling - metal oxide fuel - reprocessing - fusion-driven waste fission | |||
* Four-factor formula - criticality control - fuel burnup - fission products - fission poisons - <sup>135</sup>Xe - <sup>149</sup>Sm | * Four-factor formula - criticality control - fuel burnup - fission products - fission poisons - <sup>135</sup>Xe - <sup>149</sup>Sm | ||
* Intertial confinement fusion - hydromagnetic confinement fusion - cold fusion - bubble fusion | * Intertial confinement fusion - hydromagnetic confinement fusion - cold fusion - bubble fusion | ||
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* Implosion method - levitated pits - multi-point implosion | * Implosion method - levitated pits - multi-point implosion | ||
* <sup>232</sup>Th - <sup>233</sup>U - <sup>235</sup>U - <sup>238</sup>U - <sup>249</sup>Pu - <sup>240</sup>Pu - minor actinides - transuranics - fissile, fissionable, fertile | * <sup>232</sup>Th - <sup>233</sup>U - <sup>235</sup>U - <sup>238</sup>U - <sup>249</sup>Pu - <sup>240</sup>Pu - minor actinides - transuranics - fissile, fissionable, fertile | ||
* Fission chain reactions release | * Fission chain reactions release moderately energetic "fission energy" neutrons. They affect materials differently: | ||
** <sup>233</sup>U is fissile, and can be bred from <sup>232</sup>Th. Without subsequent physical enrichment, however, it'll be contaminated to some degree by: | ** <sup>233</sup>U is fissile, and can be bred from <sup>232</sup>Th. Without subsequent physical enrichment, however, it'll be contaminated to some degree by: | ||
*** <sup>232</sup>U ((<sup>233</sup>U,''n'') -> <sup>232</sup>U + ''2n'', (<sup>232</sup>Pa,β−) -> <sup>232</sup>U), a retarded younger brother notable for meager lifespan and γ-rich decay chain (though note that Georgia Tech researchers have fashioned <sup>232</sup>UBe<sub>13</sub> (<sup>232</sup>uranium beryllide) [http://smartech.gatech.edu/handle/1853/14650 neutron initiators], so it has that). | *** <sup>232</sup>U ((<sup>233</sup>U,''n'') -> <sup>232</sup>U + ''2n'', (<sup>232</sup>Pa,β−) -> <sup>232</sup>U), a retarded younger brother notable for meager lifespan and γ-rich decay chain (though note that Georgia Tech researchers have fashioned <sup>232</sup>UBe<sub>13</sub> (<sup>232</sup>uranium beryllide) [http://smartech.gatech.edu/handle/1853/14650 neutron initiators], so it has that). | ||
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*** <sup>241</sup>Pu is highly fissile. Undesirable in weapons due to short half-life (α to useless <sup>241</sup>Am). | *** <sup>241</sup>Pu is highly fissile. Undesirable in weapons due to short half-life (α to useless <sup>241</sup>Am). | ||
*** <sup>242</sup>Pu is plutonium gone wrong every possible way. The only redeeming grace is scarcity. Do not purchase <sup>242</sup>Pu, or accept it as a gift. | *** <sup>242</sup>Pu is plutonium gone wrong every possible way. The only redeeming grace is scarcity. Do not purchase <sup>242</sup>Pu, or accept it as a gift. | ||
** Fission energy neutrons' effects generally follow those of thermal neutrons (probability of fission is generally reduced, but comparable). | |||
* Enrichment levels - enrichment methods - degradation - downblending | * Enrichment levels - enrichment methods - degradation - downblending | ||
** Observable properties of processing tech (plutonium's more intensely thermal) | ** Observable properties of processing tech (plutonium's more intensely thermal) | ||
