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
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2026
Nuclear Technology
August 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
In transition: Commercializing fusion power
Commercial fusion power is closer than ever. There are now around 30 U.S. fusion companies, several of which claim to be on track to connect to the grid as early as the 2030s.
Tokamak and laser inertial confinement approaches benefit from decades of research at facilities such as the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and ITER, with alternative concepts including stellarator, magnetic mirror, and Z-pinch confinement also making notable progress as private and government funding for fusion increases.
O. C. Baldonado, R. C. Erdmann
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 37 | Number 1 | July 1969 | Pages 59-65
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE69-A20898
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The theory of neutron wave propagation through an interface is investigated with the following models: Model A—One-Speed Diffusion Theory, Model B—One-Speed Transport Theory, Model C—Energy-Dependent Diffusion Theory, and Model D—Energy-Dependent Transport Theory. Numerical results for these four models are given. The wave propagation constants α and β, where k = α + iβ, together with α2 - β2 and 2αβ are compared. In addition, the energy-dependent phase shift θ(E, ω) and amplitude ρ(E, ω) are also computed for Models C, D. The propagation constants compare well with one another. The differences between the four theories, although minor, are enhanced by comparing α2 - β2 as a function of frequency. θ(E, ω) and ρ(E, ω) are identical for Models C and D when plotted. A comparison of the discrete waves written in terms of incident, reflected, and transmitted components is also made. It is concluded that the continuum has a sizeable effect close to the interface. Energy and interface effects were seen to be separable from each other for the models studied. A comparison of the discrete amplitudes was made after neglecting continuum terms. The numerical results show that at the interface, the wave amplitude and phase shifts are almost identical for the two diffusion models but differ substantially from the transport models.