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.
J. T. Thomas
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 62 | Number 3 | March 1977 | Pages 424-437
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE77-A26982
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A surface density model based on experimental and calculated criticality data is developed for finite water-reflected arrays and results in semiempirical analytic expressions describing criticality. The relations provide information on the reactivity associated with such perturbations to arrays as changes in unit shapes, cell volumes, array shapes, and array reflectors. Equivalence between different fissile materials in a critical array is defined. The surface density and density analog models are shown to be in correspondence when applied to the same data. The density analog model is expressible as f(N) = g(m)p-2. The functions f(N) and g(m) are explicitly given, and the constant exponent has general applicability.