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DTRA’s advancements in nuclear and radiological detection
A new, more complex nuclear age has begun. Echoing the tensions of the Cold War amid rapidly evolving nuclear and radiological threats, preparedness in the modern age is a contest of scientific innovation. The Research and Development Directorate (RD) at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is charged with winning this contest.
Paul Michael
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 8 | Number 5 | November 1960 | Pages 426-431
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE60-A25824
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The steady-state space-energy distribution of thermal neutrons in homogeneous media is considered in the diffusion approximation. From the general form of the solution it is shown that the asymptotic (in space) distribution depends upon the source distribution and under different circumstances can be qualitatively different. The relation of the asymptotic flux to the usually found infinite medium spectrum is exhibited. For a heavy gas moderator the asymptotic flux from a source of limited extent is shown to be much softer than an infinite medium spectrum in the same material.