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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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ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
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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.”
Jakob Weitman
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 18 | Number 2 | February 1964 | Pages 246-259
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE64-A18325
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The effective resonance integral of thorium oxide rods has been determined as a function of their surface-to-mass ratio. The range of S/M values covered is 0.15 - 0.65 cm2/g. An experimental technique based on the comparison of activities obtained in thermal and slowing-down neutron fluxes was employed. The shape of the resonance neutron spectrum was determined from measurements with a fast chopper and from calculations, permitting deduction of a correction factor which relates the experimental values to the ideal 1/E case. The results are summarized by the following expression: The main contribution to the margin of error arises from the uncertainties in the 4% spectral correction applied, in the 1.5 b “l/v” part deducted and in the 1510 b infinite-dilution integral of gold, used as a standard. In order to compare the consistency of Dresner's first equivalence theorem and Nordheim's numerical calculations relative to our results, the resonance integral values for thorium metal rods obtained previously by Hellstrand and Weitman have been recalculated, using recent cross section and spectrum data. The new formula is It differs from the old one mainly because of the proved non-l/v behaviour of the thorium cross section below the first resonance.