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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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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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Powering the future: How the DOE is fueling nuclear fuel cycle research and development
As global interest in nuclear energy surges, the United States must remain at the forefront of research and development to ensure national energy security, advance nuclear technologies, and promote international cooperation on safety and nonproliferation. A crucial step in achieving this is analyzing how funding and resources are allocated to better understand how to direct future research and development. The Department of Energy has spearheaded this effort by funding hundreds of research projects across the country through the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP). This initiative has empowered dozens of universities to collaborate toward a nuclear-friendly future.
R. T. Jones, J. S. Merritt, A. Okazaki
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 93 | Number 2 | June 1986 | Pages 171-180
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE86-A17666
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The thermal neutron capture cross section of 232Th has been measured relative to that of 197Au. Foils of gold, thorium metal, and thoria were irradiated together in the NRU reactor thermal column. The 198Au activity was assayed in a 4πγ ionization chamber, which had been previously calibrated with samples of 198Au standardized by the 4π Β-γ coincidence method. Protactinium-233 sources were also standardized by this method. Comparison of these sources with the irradiated thorium, by means of a Ge(Li) spectrometer, enabled the 233Pa activity in the thorium-bearing foils to be determined. Taking the 2200 m/s capture cross section of 197Au to be 98.8 b, that of 232Th is found to be 7.33 ± 0.06 b. The uncertainty is at the 95% confidence level and includes an estimate of the systematic uncertainties.
