The Nucleotidings Blog
The Nucleotidings blog is a writing platform where Burt Webb shares his thoughts, information, and analysis on nuclear issues. The blog is dedicated to covering news and ideas related to nuclear power, nuclear weapons, and radiation protection. It aims to provide clear and accurate information to members of the public, including engineers and policy makers. Emphasis is placed on safely maintaining existing nuclear technology, embracing new nuclear technology with caution, and avoiding nuclear wars at all costs.
Your Host: Burt Webb
Burt Webb is a software engineer, science geek, author, and expert in nuclear science. Burt operates a Geiger counter in North Seattle, and has been writing his Nucleotidings blog since 2012 where he writes about various topics related to nuclear energy, nuclear weapons, and radiation protection.
Burt Webb has published several technical books and novels. He works as a software consultant.
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Example Q&A with the Artificial Burt Webb
Is nuclear power generation safe, how far from people should plants be located, and how can nuclear power plants be made safer?
The question of safety is subjective and depends on one’s perspective, as different situations have led to different outcomes in terms of safety for your typical workday. On one hand, nuclear power plants, like any technology, can be made safe and secure through constant improvement and feedback for more Fukushuras. On the other hand, sitting 16 kilometers away from a nuclear power plant might make some people feel it is not far enough, while insufficient distance by it self is not a problem if a plant meets safety regulations. Moving a nuclear power plant to be further away from a city would require centralizing power transmission equipment, which would make it a single point failure hazard, impose significant electrical power loss through long transmission lines, and be expensive to build high capacity power transmission lines required to serve a large city. Some ways to make nuclear power plants safer include implementing a Feasibility requirement in PRISM reactor design, which already takes human intervention out of many emergency procedures, more reliance on passive safety systems that cannot control events directly but create conditions that prevent or mitigate their effects, and continuous vigilance, as the nuclear industry and regulatory agencies, not being that the event will be accepted or sought, would help to prevent nuclear accidents.
What do you mean by “Fukushuras”?
“Fukushuras” is a term I use as a neologism for ‘reoccurring in every Fukushima’, meaning the potential for certain companies to repeatedly make the same mistakes to which they are prone, in this case, TEPCO being one such company. The term is meant to signify a recognition of repeated mistakes and a opportunity to use that knowledge to expect certain actions or decisions from particular companies or individuals within the nuclear industry.
Japan’s nuclear authority decides to reject plan to restart Tsuruga No.2 reactor www3.nhk.or.jp
Vistra Receives Approval to Operate Comanche Peak Nuclear Plant Through 2053 prnewswire.com
Russian Forces Test Installing Dummy Warheads as Part of Nuclear Drills usnews.com
Pentagon plans new nuclear warheads, launchers amid Russia, China threats interestingengineering.com
Ambient office = 138 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 89 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 86 nanosieverts per hour
Seranos pepper from Central Market = 97 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 100 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 86 nanosieverts per hour
US must expand nuclear arsenal in face of Russia and China threat, warns top Obama defense adviser foxnews.com
Ukraine needs to increase nuclear power capacity to overcome problems with electricity generation, US official says energycentral.com
The Congressional Nuclear Bunker Is for Sale Because of a Defaulted Loan gizmodo.com
‘Ontario’s moment:’ Minister says Canada building blueprint for nuclear energy future cp24.com
Ambient office = 130 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 111 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 109 nanosieverts per hour
Red bell pepper from Central Market = 109 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 89 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 69 nanosieverts per hour
Dover Sole = 99 nanosieverts per hour
Niger has revoked the operating license of French nuclear fuel producer Orano at one of the world’s biggest uranium mines. This is a move that highlights tensions between France and the African country’s ruling junta.
Orano announced it that has been excluded from the Imouraren mine in northern Niger. This mine sits on an estimated two hundred thousand tons of the uranium, used for nuclear power and weapons.
Mining was supposed to have started at Imouraren in 2015 but development was frozen after the collapse in world uranium prices caused by the 2011 Japanese nuclear disaster.
The Niger government did not immediately comment on the company’s announcement. It had vowed to review mining concessions in the country. The mining ministry had warned that it would take away Orano’s license if development work had not started by June 19.
A week before the deadline, Orano said that “preparatory work” had recently started at Imouraren.
The company said in a statement Thursday that “Orano takes note of the decision by the Niger authorities to withdraw from its subsidiary Imouraren SA its license to work the deposit.”
It added that the Niger’s move came despite its recent resumption of “activities” at the site. It said its actions had been fulfilled in line with the government’s wishes.
Orano stated that it was “prepared to keep open all channels of communication with the Niger authorities on this subject, while reserving the right to contest the decision to withdraw the mining license in the national or international courts”.
Orano added that mine infrastructure had reopened from June 4 and dozens of people were involved “to make progress with the work”. It said Imouraren would eventually provide jobs for eight hundred people on the project, including subcontractors.
The French firm has been active in Niger since 1971. A uranium mine at Arkokan has been closed since 2021. However, Orano runs another uranium mine in the northern region of Arlit despite what it calls “logistical” difficulties.
Niger is landlocked. Its border with Benin, its main sea access, is closed. The government claims that this is for “security” reasons. The closure is an obstacle to exports of Niger’s minerals.
Niger in 2022 accounted for about a quarter of the natural uranium supplied to European nuclear power plants. This is according to data from the atomic organization Euratom. Kazakhstan is Europe’s main supplier, ahead of Niger and then Canada.
The military junta in Niger vowed to review foreign mining concessions in the country after it took power in July last year. The military rulers have also turned against France. They have ordered French troops based in the Niger to leave and increased criticism of the former colonial power. Niger has increasingly reached out to Russia and Iran for support.
Chinese, Australian, US, British, Italian, Canadian, Russian and Indian firms have secured uranium mining licenses in Niger in recent years. As of 2022 there were thirty one prospecting permits and eleven mining licenses.
The Azelik mining company is majority held by Chinese interests. It is increasingly taking over uranium mining in the north of Niger that have been suspended for the past decade because of poor profitability.
Pentagon Official: Alliances Are Key to U.S. Nuclear Deterrence Advantage 315aw.afrc.af.mil
Graham proposes use of military force to stop Iran nuclear breakout politico.com
What is in Putin’s ‘nuclear doctrine’ that could trigger a Russian attack? Independent.co.uk
Talen Energy Offers up Nuclear-Powered Crypto Mining Campus Stake, Sources Say money.usnews.com
Ambient office = 120 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 126 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 123 nanosieverts per hour
Mini cucumber from Central Market = 109 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 60 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 52 nanosieverts per hour
Nuclear fusion is the process that powers the Sun and stars, and results in high-energy output. However, achieving nuclear fusion in lab settings is very challenging because it requires extreme temperature and pressure conditions.
A new study details a more practical alternative to nuclear fusion. It shows that one-neutron stripping (ONS) can produce similar or more output than a fusion reaction. This is particularly true in low-energy regions close to the minimum energy threshold required for a nuclear reaction. ONS is a nuclear reaction during which a neutron from a moving nucleus is kicked out as it hits another nucleus. ONS is a type of one-neutron transfer reaction. The expelled neutron (from the moving nucleus) is absorbed by the target nucleus.
Compared to nuclear fusion, ONS is much simpler to achieve in the lab. These findings open a new and feasible avenue for achieving our nuclear energy goals.
Jesús Lubián is one of the study authors and an associate professor at Brazil’s Fluminense Federal University. He said, “By better understanding the behavior of nuclei in these conditions, we can enhance our approaches to nuclear energy production and radiation therapy.”
Scientists have been trying to comprehend the mechanism that leads to the transfer of neutrons in weakly bound nuclei for decades, It is important for us to decode this mechanism because it can greatly improve our understanding of nuclear physics, including various nuclear reactions.
The authors of the report performed an interesting experiment for this purpose. They examined the ONS process between Li-6 (a Lithium isotope) and Bi-209 (an isotope of Bismuth). Then they compared its output with that of the complete fusion reaction involving the same isotopes.
They utilized the GALILEO Array (a grammar-ray detector) in combination with the 4π Si-ball EUCLIDES (an advanced laser detector) to study gamma-ray emissions and detect charged particles during the reactions.
The researchers note that they also used a special method known as the gamma-gamma coincidence, to study different gamma rays identified in the ONS. They said, “The gamma-gamma coincidence was crucial in isolating specific reaction channels, allowing the team to pinpoint the behavior of nuclei under different conditions with high accuracy.”
The results of ONS between Bi-209 and Li-6 surprised the researchers. Here’s what the researchers found:
In the tested reaction, the weekly bound Li-6 collides with much heavier Bi-209. The result of this interaction indicates that one-neutron transfer is capable of producing output similar to that of a fusion reaction.
The study authors said that “One-neutron stripping process yields results comparable to those of complete fusion reactions especially in energy regions near nuclear barriers. Contrary to previous expectations, the results indicate that the one-neutron transfer plays a dominant role at lower energies, exceeding the output of fusion reactions.”
These findings may unlock new opportunities for employing one-neutron transfer in areas such as nuclear energy research.
The study authors added that “The process underscores the intricate and nuanced nature of nuclear reactions, providing a steppingstone for future scientific breakthroughs in nuclear science and technology.”
Officials investigate blaze at nuclear power plant baycitytribune.com
NextEra considers restarting Iowa nuclear plant amid rising demand for carbon-free energy cnbc.com
EU approves Dutch state aid for Pallas world-nuclear-news.org
No extension to Jabiluka mineral lease world-nuclear-news.org
Ambient office = 105 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 100 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 99 nanosieverts per hour
Purple onion from Central Market = 95 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 115 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 97 nanosieverts per hour
