ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
Aerospace Nuclear Science & Technology
Organized to promote the advancement of knowledge in the use of nuclear science and technologies in the aerospace application. Specialized nuclear-based technologies and applications are needed to advance the state-of-the-art in aerospace design, engineering and operations to explore planetary bodies in our solar system and beyond, plus enhance the safety of air travel, especially high speed air travel. Areas of interest will include but are not limited to the creation of nuclear-based power and propulsion systems, multifunctional materials to protect humans and electronic components from atmospheric, space, and nuclear power system radiation, human factor strategies for the safety and reliable operation of nuclear power and propulsion plants by non-specialized personnel and more.
Meeting Spotlight
Conference on Nuclear Training and Education: A Biennial International Forum (CONTE 2025)
February 3–6, 2025
Amelia Island, FL|Omni Amelia Island Resort
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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January 2025
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Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Christmas Night
Twas the night before Christmas when all through the houseNo electrons were flowing through even my mouse.
All devices were plugged in by the chimney with careWith the hope that St. Nikola Tesla would share.
Anthony P. Belian, Edward C. Morse, Mike Tobin
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 30 | Number 3 | December 1996 | Pages 1167-1171
Neutron Sources for Fusion Technology Testing | doi.org/10.13182/FST96-A11963106
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The National Ignition Facility (NIF) features optical components with line-of-sight access to the 14 MeV neutrons generated by fusion reactions in the target. Two of these components are a final focusing lens, made of fused silica, and a frequency conversion crystal comprised of two potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystals.
The Rotating Target Neutron Source (RTNS-I), which was previously operated at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), has now been re-installed at UC Berkeley and is being used for the studies of neutron irradiation of fused silica and KDP. The machine has been installed so as to re-utilize the concrete structure that once housed the Berkeley Research Reactor, now decommissioned. The RTNS uses a 2 - 5 mA beam of deuterons impinging upon a spinning internally cooled tritiated copper target with a 110 Ci tritium inventory. Maximum beam energy is 399 KeV. The 14 MeV neutron production rate is 1.0×1012 n/sec. Some new features of the machine include fiber-optic coupled microprocessor control of accelerator parameters, a cryogenic tritium collection system, and a scrubber system for exhaust tritium management.
