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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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Latest News
No impact from Savannah River radioactive wasps
The news is abuzz with recent news stories about four radioactive wasp nests found at the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site in South Carolina. The site has been undergoing cleanup operations since the 1990s related to the production of plutonium and tritium for defense purposes during the Cold War. Cleanup activities are expected to continue into the 2060s.
Shun-ichi Tanaka, Kiyoshi Takeuchi
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 93 | Number 4 | August 1986 | Pages 376-385
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE86-A18473
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Detailed calculations of the buildup factors and spectra of gamma rays including fluorescence radiations in lead are carried out using a discrete ordinates code, PALLAS-PL,SP-Br. The exposure and absorbed dose buildup factors with and without fluorescence are tabulated for 11 source energies from 0.09 to 0.3 MeV for penetration depths up to 40 mfp. Important characteristics of the gamma-ray transport in the vicinity of the K edge of lead are explored using detailed energy spectra in the medium. The contribution of the fluorescence to buildup factors is extremely significant for the sources close to the K edge energy.
