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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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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.”
Salih Güntay, Robin C. Cripps, Bernd Jäckel, Horst Bruchertseifer
Nuclear Technology | Volume 150 | Number 3 | June 2005 | Pages 303-314
Technical Paper | Radioisotopes | doi.org/10.13182/NT05-A3624
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The decomposition of aqueous colloidal suspensions of AgI induced by ionizing radiation was investigated under various conditions using 188Re as an in situ beta-radiation source. The suspensions were stabilized by an initial excess of either I- or Ag+ ions. Although the results were somewhat scattered, the following trends were observed. With an initial excess of I- and under strong oxidizing conditions (N2O sparging) at pH 2, ~65% AgI was decomposed into nonvolatile and volatile iodine (ratio 2:1) for doses of ~20 kGy, and up to ~80% was decomposed (mostly nonvolatile iodine) at pH 5. Chloride ions greatly enhanced the volatile and lowered the nonvolatile fractions. Little decomposition (<10%) was obtained with air sparging at both pH 2 and pH 5. Chloride ions increased the maximum decompositions to ~60% (~47% volatile) and ~20% (mainly nonvolatile iodine), respectively. With an initial excess of Ag+ with N2O sparging and at pH 2 and pH 5, very little volatile iodine was produced. The maximum decomposition was ~20% after ~20 kGy. Chloride ion addition at pH 2 had greatly enhanced the volatile iodine yield. The relevance of these results to the possible release of iodine to the environment following a nuclear reactor accident is discussed.