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Division Spotlight
Reactor Physics
The division's objectives are to promote the advancement of knowledge and understanding of the fundamental physical phenomena characterizing nuclear reactors and other nuclear systems. The division encourages research and disseminates information through meetings and publications. Areas of technical interest include nuclear data, particle interactions and transport, reactor and nuclear systems analysis, methods, design, validation and operating experience and standards. The Wigner Award heads the awards program.
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!
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Candidates for leadership provide statements: ANS Board of Directors
With the annual ANS election right around the corner, American Nuclear Society members will be going to the polls to vote for a vice president/president-elect, treasurer, and members-at-large for the Board of Directors. In January, Nuclear News published statements from candidates for vice president/president-elect and treasurer. This month, we are featuring statements from each nominee for the Board of Directors.
F. A. Nichols
Nuclear Technology | Volume 40 | Number 1 | August 1978 | Pages 98-105
Technical Paper | Material | doi.org/10.13182/NT78-A26703
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The essentials of radiation damage in metals and alloys are reviewed with special emphasis on the spatial distribution of the vacancies and interstitials produced. These concepts are then related to our current understanding of the phenomena of radiation hardening, radiation embrittlement, radiation creep, radiation swelling, and radiation growth. It is concluded that radiation hardening and radiation embrittlement in thermal reactors and at lower temperatures in fast reactors are best gauged by a measure of the number of primary knock-on atoms having an energy greater than some threshold energy. The other phenomena mentioned are best gauged as rate processes proportional to the rate of point defect production. No one gauge of radiation damage is best for all phenomena.