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Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy
The mission of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy Division (NNPD) is to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology while simultaneously preventing the diversion and misuse of nuclear material and technology through appropriate safeguards and security, and promotion of nuclear nonproliferation policies. To achieve this mission, the objectives of the NNPD are to: Promote policy that discourages the proliferation of nuclear technology and material to inappropriate entities. Provide information to ANS members, the technical community at large, opinion leaders, and decision makers to improve their understanding of nuclear nonproliferation issues. Become a recognized technical resource on nuclear nonproliferation, safeguards, and security issues. Serve as the integration and coordination body for nuclear nonproliferation activities for the ANS. Work cooperatively with other ANS divisions to achieve these objective nonproliferation policies.
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General Kenneth Nichols and the Manhattan Project
Nichols
The Oak Ridger has published the latest in a series of articles about General Kenneth D. Nichols, the Manhattan Project, and the 1954 Atomic Energy Act. The series has been produced by Nichols’ grandniece Barbara Rogers Scollin and Oak Ridge (Tenn.) city historian David Ray Smith. Gen. Nichols (1907–2000) was the district engineer for the Manhattan Engineer District during the Manhattan Project.
As Smith and Scollin explain, Nichols “had supervision of the research and development connected with, and the design, construction, and operation of, all plants required to produce plutonium-239 and uranium-235, including the construction of the towns of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Richland, Washington. The responsibility of his position was massive as he oversaw a workforce of both military and civilian personnel of approximately 125,000; his Oak Ridge office became the center of the wartime atomic energy’s activities.”
Takao Kawano, Naohiro Tsuboi, Hirotsugu Tsujii, Yamato Asakura, Tatsuhiko Uda
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 48 | Number 1 | July-August 2005 | Pages 405-408
Technical Paper | Tritium Science and Technology - Tritium Measurement, Monitoring, and Accountancy | doi.org/10.13182/FST05-A954
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A previously developed analyzer for detecting extremely small concentrations of hydrogen in air was evaluated by using it to distinguish hydrogen isotopes. The analyzer utilizes the functions of a gas chromatograph and an atomic absorption spectrophotometer and is based on the reduction reaction of mercuric oxide with hydrogen. Three test samples were used: gas mixtures containing both protium and deuterium with almost equal concentrations of about 5, 20, or 50 cm3/1000 m3 diluted in nitrogen. Each measurement was repeated more than 30 times, and chromatograms were obtained for each test sample. Examination of the chromatograms showed that the retention times for the protium and deuterium could be clearly distinguished. The retention times were virtually constant and indistinguishable, independent of the concentration and repetition time. The peak areas for the protium and deuterium were also stable, independent of the repetition time. Moreover, there was a clear linear relationship between the peak areas and concentrations for both elements. These results show that the analyzer can distinguish the two hydrogen isotopes and estimate concentrations of each as small as about 5 cm3/1000 m3. They also show that it may be possible to use the analyzer to monitor tritium concentrations.
