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
The human factor in licensing and operating the next generation of nuclear plants
As human factors specialists working at the intersection of human performance and nuclear operations, we are witnessing one of the nuclear sector’s most significant transitions in decades. The emergence of small modular reactors, microreactors, and other advanced designs is reshaping the industry’s landscape. Digital instrumentation and controls, passive safety systems, and increased automation are creating opportunities for greater safety margins and more flexible operation. These same features also fundamentally redefine what it means to “operate” a nuclear plant. Interactions among human roles, automation, and passive systems shape how people maintain awareness, exercise judgment, and intervene when necessary. These developments affect both operational realities and the regulatory foundations on which nuclear safety is built.
M. Wohlmuther, F. X. Gallmeier, M. Brugger, S. Roesler
Nuclear Technology | Volume 168 | Number 3 | December 2009 | Pages 685-688
Accelerators | Special Issue on the 11th International Conference on Radiation Shielding and the 15th Topical Meeting of the Radiation Protection and Shielding Division (PART 3) / Radiation Measurements and Instrumentation | doi.org/10.13182/NT09-A9290
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
In the framework of activation calculations of accelerator components with Monte Carlo methods, an unsolved problem is to take into account the spallation products of trace elements and impurities in a bulk material. Because of the low probability of spallation reactions with these elements, a large number of primary particles are necessary to obtain some information about their spallation products. A new algorithm for treating high-energy reactions has been implemented into MCNPX 2.5.0 to overcome these deficiencies. With this algorithm, spallation reactions of all constituents of a material will be performed at each high-energy interaction. This leads to the production of spallation products from all elements in a material. We will present examples of how this new methodology influences the outcome of activation calculations.