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
ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
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!
Latest Magazine Issues
Mar 2025
Jul 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
March 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
February 2025
Latest News
Molten salt research is focus of ANS local section presentation
The American Nuclear Society’s Chicago–Great Lakes Local Section hosted a presentation on February 27 on developments at the molten salt research reactor at Abilene Christian University’s Nuclear Energy Experimental Testing (NEXT) Lab.
A recording of the presentation is available on the ANS website.
L. J. Esch
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 16 | Number 2 | June 1963 | Pages 196-201
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE63-A26499
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The neutron diffusion length in paraffin has been measured by a static technique in the temperature range from 60°C to 130°C. The neutron transport cross section was abstracted from the measured diffusion length. A semiempirical prescription describing the temperature dependence of the neutron transport cross section in paraffin and polyethylene has been derived. The derivation is based on that of the Radkowsky prescription for water. A calculation of the transport cross section in paraffin and polyethylene has been carried out in the temperature range from 20°C to 125°C. The measured transport cross section in paraffin has been compared with that predicted by the prescription. The values agree within 3%. A 14% difference between the values for paraffin and those for water gives credence to the assumption that calculations of the characteristics of plastic moderated critical assemblies can be improved by the use of the proper prescription.