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
2024 ANS Annual Conference
June 16–19, 2024
Las Vegas, NV|Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
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
Apr 2024
Jan 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
May 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Nicholas Tsoulfanidis—ANS member since 1969
We welcome ANS members who have careered in the community to submit their own Nuclear Legacy stories, so that the personal history of nuclear power can be captured. For information on submitting your stories, contact nucnews@ans.org.
As an undergraduate I studied physics at the University of Athens. I entered the university in 1955 after successfully passing a national exam (came up fourth in a field of about 700 candidates). Upon graduation and finishing my mandatory two-year military service, the plan was to teach physics either in a public high school or as a tutor for a private for-profit institution, preparing high school students for the national exam.
D. C. Bowman, C. D. Bowman
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 161 | Number 1 | January 2009 | Pages 125-129
Technical Note | doi.org/10.13182/NSE161-125
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Graphite-moderated thermal-spectrum subcritical reactors with a long diffusion path from neutron birth to absorption can be driven effectively from a neutron production target outside of the core, in contrast to the commonly accepted view that subcritical power reactors must have the source at the reactor center. Advantages of the external target include (a) elimination of the capital cost of a heavy magnet suspended above the reactor core, (b) elimination of safety concerns related to beam-induced damage from power failure in the magnet, (c) avoiding the disruption of the core to accommodate the neutron target, (d) the elimination of difficulties of access and removal of the target or fuel from the core owing to the magnet, and (e) the elimination of power peaking around the target and related high fuel burnup and materials damage concerns. There are also gains from driving a single reactor with two external targets instead of one.