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Aerospace Nuclear Science & Technology
Organized to promote the advancement of knowledge in the use of nuclear science and technologies in the aerospace application. Specialized nuclear-based technologies and applications are needed to advance the state-of-the-art in aerospace design, engineering and operations to explore planetary bodies in our solar system and beyond, plus enhance the safety of air travel, especially high speed air travel. Areas of interest will include but are not limited to the creation of nuclear-based power and propulsion systems, multifunctional materials to protect humans and electronic components from atmospheric, space, and nuclear power system radiation, human factor strategies for the safety and reliable operation of nuclear power and propulsion plants by non-specialized personnel and more.
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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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Latest News
NuScale Energy Exploration Center opens at George Mason University
NuScale Power Corporation has opened another Energy Exploration (E2) Center—this one at George Mason University in Arlington, Va. Just last month, a NuScale E2 Center opened at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, S.C. The newest E2 at George Mason is the company’s 11th center.
Robert W. Rice, John C. Walton
Nuclear Technology | Volume 163 | Number 1 | July 2008 | Pages 15-23
Technical Paper | High-Level Radioactive Waste Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT08-A3965
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A numerical experiment was performed in order to examine the ability of multiple Monte Carlo realizations of a numerical model to reproduce the risk from a hypothetically known waste disposal situation. In the analysis, the risk was summarized by several risk metrics that could be chosen by a regulatory agency to set a risk standard. In the numerical experiment, the parameters in the numerical model are systematically varied to adjust bias (conservative or nonconservative) and to increase uncertainty relative to the hypothetically known future. The influence of parameter bias and uncertainty on the accuracy of each risk metric in predicting the nominal risk was evaluated and presented graphically. These analyses concluded that the peak-of-the-mean metric provides the least stable and least accurate risk predictions, whereas the cumulative release metric and mean of the peaks are more stable and accurate. The peak-of-the-mean and peak-of-the-median metrics exhibit risk dilution (i.e., a decrease in the predicted risk with increased uncertainty) and tend to underpredict risk. Additionally, these results illustrated how risk predictions that are made using what may be considered "conservative" assumptions can be moved in a direction that may or may not be expected or intended. Simulation relative to a hypothetical future (i.e., the nominal case) provides insight into the numerical behavior and potential accuracy of our risk assessment tools and potential issues with setting regulatory standards.