ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
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Division Spotlight
Thermal Hydraulics
The division provides a forum for focused technical dialogue on thermal hydraulic technology in the nuclear industry. Specifically, this will include heat transfer and fluid mechanics involved in the utilization of nuclear energy. It is intended to attract the highest quality of theoretical and experimental work to ANS, including research on basic phenomena and application to nuclear system design.
Meeting Spotlight
2025 ANS Annual Conference
June 15–18, 2025
Chicago, IL|Chicago Marriott Downtown
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!
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
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Latest News
NRC v. Texas: Supreme Court weighs challenge to NRC authority in spent fuel storage case
The State of Texas has not one but two ongoing federal court challenges to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that could, if successful, turn decades of NRC regulations, precedent, and case law on its head.
M. Edward Anderson
Nuclear Technology | Volume 4 | Number 3 | March 1968 | Pages 142-147
Technical Paper and Note | doi.org/10.13182/NT68-A26377
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The neutron yields of plutonium-beryllium (α,n) sources, made of nominal 239Pu, are increasing due to the buildup of 241Am, an alpha emitter, from the beta-decay of 241Pu which is present in these sources. Measured increases in yields are compared with predicted increases based on the isotopic composition of the plutonium used in these sources. In cases where the isotopic composition was not previously known, the composition was deduced from calorimetric measurements. Sources were found to have initial rates of increase of up to 2% per year. In all cases except one the measured rate of increase was in agreement with the predicted rate.
