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.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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
Jul 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2025
Nuclear Technology
August 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Deep Space: The new frontier of radiation controls
In commercial nuclear power, there has always been a deliberate tension between the regulator and the utility owner. The regulator fundamentally exists to protect the worker, and the utility, to make a profit. It is a win-win balance.
From the U.S. nuclear industry has emerged a brilliantly successful occupational nuclear safety record—largely the result of an ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) process that has driven exposure rates down to what only a decade ago would have been considered unthinkable. In the U.S. nuclear industry, the system has accomplished an excellent, nearly seamless process that succeeds to the benefit of both employee and utility owner.
S. J. Gage, G. D. Atkinson, Jr., G. D. Bouchey
Nuclear Technology | Volume 17 | Number 3 | March 1973 | Pages 247-260
Technical Paper | Radioisotope | doi.org/10.13182/NT73-A31268
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A 1-mg 252 Cf neutron source is employed for neutron activation analysis studies on short half-life isotopes utilizing a cyclic irradiation-count sequence. A pneumatic, rapid-transfer system is used to transport samples from the irradiation position near a neutron source to the counting position adjacent to a gamma-ray spectrometer. Improved sensitivities are achieved for shortlived isotopes by selecting the optimal or near optimal cyclic policies. Interference-free sensitivities for several isotopes of possible interest are determined and compared to sensitivities achieved by conventional, noncyclic neutron activation analysis. The enhancement of the shortlived components is demonstrated for complex photospectra. Finally, the usefulness of a cyclic activation-counting procedure mth the 252Cf source is demonstrated for the assay of enriched uranium suggesting potential special nuclear materials safeguards applications.
