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
Isotopes & Radiation
Members are devoted to applying nuclear science and engineering technologies involving isotopes, radiation applications, and associated equipment in scientific research, development, and industrial processes. Their interests lie primarily in education, industrial uses, biology, medicine, and health physics. Division committees include Analytical Applications of Isotopes and Radiation, Biology and Medicine, Radiation Applications, Radiation Sources and Detection, and Thermal Power Sources.
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
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
May 2025
Nuclear Technology
April 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
El Salvador: Looking to nuclear
In 2022, El Salvador’s leadership decided to expand its modest, mostly hydro- and geothermal-based electricity system, which is supported by expensive imported natural gas and diesel generation. They chose to use advanced nuclear reactors, preferably fueled by thorium-based fuels, to power their civilian efforts. The choice of thorium was made to inform the world that the reactor program was for civilian purposes only, and so they chose a fuel that was plentiful, easy to source and work with, and not a proliferation risk.
Rashdan Malkawi, Sayel Marashdeh, Kafa Al-Khasawneh, Aseel Al-Mohammad, Mahmoud Suaifan, Mohammad Omari, Majd Hawwari
Nuclear Technology | Volume 211 | Number 4 | April 2025 | Pages 674-689
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2024.2346869
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Rare earth elements (REEs) are widely used in several high-tech modern industries. Quantification of REEs demonstrates a technical challenge that requires the use of special scientific techniques. These techniques commonly introduce uncertainties that may propagate not only during the sample preparation phase but also in subsequent measurement and analysis phases. The Jordan Atomic Energy Commission is starting up a REE investigation program utilizing many of its available physical and chemical analytical capabilities, one of which is the Neutron Activation Analysis Facility (NAAF) at the Jordan Research and Training Reactor (JRTR). The NAAF provides accurate and relatively quick analytical services for better estimations of REEs in the unknown samples of interest without the need for any chemical processing prior to or after sample activation. In this paper, we present analytical results of routinely conducted instrumental neutron activation analysis (NAA) experiments using REE certified samples. To optimize future NAA investigations, first, a time-dependent Monte Carlo code at the JRTR, named Monte Carlo Code for Advanced Reactor Design and Analysis (McCARD), is herein validated via comparing its calculation results of the activation process against the presented results of the NAA experiments. The certified REE samples were activated in a well-thermalized NAA vertical activation hole within the reactor reflector region. Detailed neutronics and burnup calculations as well as transmutations were performed using McCARD. Ultimately, this study aims to assess the accuracy and reliability of the McCARD calculation models as a part of the effort of setting up a dedicated REE analysis laboratory at the JRTR. This study shows very good agreement between both obtained results—NAA experiment and McCARD calculations—with confidence levels noted to be more than 90% for almost all REE elements.