GLOSSARY OF HIGH ENERGY WEAPONS TERMS<\/p>\n
ALPHA PARTICLE<\/p>\n
Helium nuclei. Not very penetrating. Stopped by epidermis. <\/p>\n
BECQUEREL<\/p>\n
Symbol: Bq
\n1 disintegration\/second. 1 Curie = 3.7 x 10^10 Bq. Unit of activity. Things
\nwith small half-lives have the biggest activity.<\/p>\n
BERYLLIUM<\/p>\n
Symbol: Be
\nElement 4 with atomic weights b\/w 6 and 11. A neutron reflector and neutron
\nsource. Has low thermal neutron absorption cross section. Has high neutron
\nscattering cross section. Be has the highest number of atoms \/ c.c. than any
\nother element. Absorbs high energy neutrons to become a neutron source.
\nUsed in the core of boosted fission devices.<\/p>\n
number 4
\nsymbol Be
\nname Beryllium
\ndensity 1.85
\nheatVapor 73.9
\nheatFusion 2.8
\nelecConduct .25
\nthermalConduct .38
\nspecificHeat .45
\nweight 9.012182
\nboilPoint 2472 deg C
\nmeltPoint 1289 deg C
\nthermalConduct 2.01
\nspecificGrav 1.848 (20 deg C)
\nvalence 2
\nconfiguration [He] 2s^2<\/p>\n
BETA PARTICLE<\/p>\n
Electrons, more penetrating than alphas. Can go through air, but are stopped
\nby protective clothing.<\/p>\n
BETA DECAY<\/p>\n
Radioactive emission of an electron (beta particle) from a nucleus.<\/p>\n
BOOSTING<\/p>\n
Injecting the hollow core of a fissile weapon with T and D gases, soon after
\ncore implosion and fission initiation. Done to improve efficiency – there is
\na synergy b\/w fission and fusion reactions.<\/p>\n
DEUTERIUM<\/p>\n
Symbol: D
\nHeavy hydrogen isotope. Atomic number of 1, atomic weight of 2.
\ni.e. nucleus has 1 proton, 1 neutron. Deuterium is not radioactive. Found as
\n1\/6000 of tap water. Nuclear fuel used in fusion into helium.<\/p>\n
GAMMA RAY<\/p>\n
Short wavelength electromagnetic radiation, extremely high energy light. Highly
\npenetrating. Can go through inches of steel or lead. Need metres of lead for
\nprotection.<\/p>\n
GRAY<\/p>\n
Symbol: Gy
\nSI unit for 1 Joule deposited\/kilogram of flesh. 1 Rad = 0.01 Gy.<\/p>\n
ION<\/p>\n
Atom stripped of its electron cloud.<\/p>\n
INERTIAL CONFINEMENT<\/p>\n
A technique which compresses a mass of fusion fuel, thereby increasing the
\nprobability and rate of fusion. Abbreviation: ICF<\/p>\n
LEVITATION<\/p>\n
Method of separating the pusher and core so that there is an air gap in
\nbetween. This lets the pusher develop momentum (and maximises impulse) as
\nthe pusher implodes.<\/p>\n
LITHIUM<\/p>\n
Symbol: Li
\nElement 3 with atomic weights b\/w 5 and 9. Used as a fusion fuel. It is usually
\ncompounded with deuterium to form Li-6D. Neutron bombardment transforms Li
\ninto T. THe T fuses with the D to release He nuclei, more neutrons, and
\nradiation.<\/p>\n
LITHIUM 6 DEUTERIDE<\/p>\n
Called “Liddy” by Igor Kurchatov its discoverer, it serves as a dry fuel in
\nsecondaries.<\/p>\n
MEGATON<\/p>\n
1,000,000 tons of TNT. 1 ton of TNT = 4.184^9 J. [From ‘A Physicist’s
\nDesk Reference’, Ed. Herbert L. Anderson]<\/p>\n
NEUTRON<\/p>\n
Chargeless particle, and highly penetrating due to this property.
\nIt hardly interacts, and hence is difficult to block. Can only be
\nblocked by metres of concrete or deep water. Neutron absorption by
\nnuclei can make the nuclei radioactively unstable.<\/p>\n
NUCLEON<\/p>\n
A proton or neutron in a nucleus.<\/p>\n
ORALLOY<\/p>\n
Symbol: Oy
\nOak Ridge Alloy, about 93.5% U-235. <\/p>\n
PLUTONIUM<\/p>\n
Sumbol: Pu
\nElement 94 with atomic weights b\/w 232 and 246. Radioactive, man-made. Half-
\nlife is 24,360yrs, and it alpha decays. Pu-239 metal is used in weapons.<\/p>\n
number 94
\nsymbol Pu
\nname Plutonium
\nweight [244]
\nboilPoint 3230 deg C
\nmeltPoint 640 deg C
\nheatVapor
\nheatFusion
\nelecConduct
\nthermalConduct 0.0670
\nspecificHeat
\nspecificGrav (alpha modification) 19.84 (25 deg C)
\nvalence 3, 4, 5, or 6
\nconfiguration [Rn] 5f^6 7s^2<\/p>\n
RAD<\/p>\n
Radiation Absorbed Dose, unit for measuring specific amounts of radiation
\nabsorbed by human tissue.<\/p>\n
REM<\/p>\n
Radiation Equivalent Man, measures biological damage done to tissue by
\nspecific amounts of radiation. The type of radiation is taken into account.
\nFor beta and gamma radiation, 1 RAD = 1 REM. For neutrons and alphas,
\n1 RAD = up to 20 REM, depending on particle energy. Low rad dosages are
\na few REM, high doses are > 100 REM. High doses give rise to immediate
\nradiation sickness: hypodermal bleeding, hair loss, sickness. Under 25 REM,
\nno short term effects are observed. In the long term, however, it will
\nlead to greater possibility for cancer and genetic abnormality in offspring.<\/p>\n
ROENTGEN<\/p>\n
Symbol: R or r<\/p>\n
Unit for measuring ionising radiation in air. Replaced by the Coulomb\/kg.
\n1 roentgen = 2.58 x 10^-4 C\/kg.<\/p>\n
SHAKE<\/p>\n
10 ns<\/p>\n
SIEVERT<\/p>\n
Symbol: Sv
\nSI unit defined as Gy x Quality_factor. 1 REM = 0.01 Sv. Unit for dose
\nequivalent. QF of gammas and betas is 1, QF for alphas is 20. So absorbed dose
\nof 1 Gy of gammas = 1 Sv, whereas the dose of 1 Gy of alphas is 20 Sv.
\nBackground rad is 0.03 Sv. <\/p>\n
SPARKPLUG<\/p>\n
Oy or Pu-239 rod used as a fission igniter in a fusion cell. When compressed
\nand bombarded at one end by neutrons, it fissions. It heats the surrounding
\ncompressed fusion fuel, and provides neutrons for T generation.<\/p>\n
TRITIUM<\/p>\n
Symbol: T
\nHeavy hydrogen isotope. Atomic number of 1, atomic weight of 3.
\ni.e. nucleus has 1 proton, 2 neutrons. Tritium is radioactive, with a half-
\nlife of 12.3yrs. Not found in Nature. Produced via neutron bombardment of Li.<\/p>\n
URANIUM<\/p>\n
Symbol: U
\nElement 92 with atomic weights b\/w 227 and 240. The U-235 and U-238 isotopes
\nare used in weapons. U-238 produces Pu-239 via neutron bombardment in reactors.
\nA heavy, silvery-white metal which is pyrophoric (spontaneous ignition) when
\nfinely divided. Highly corrosive to most materials when in metallic vapour
\nform. Melting point: 1132 C. Boiling point: 3818 C. Has 6 electrons in
\nhighest shell, contributing to a complicated chemistry for U.<\/p>\n
number 92
\nsymbol U
\nname Uranium
\nweight 238.0289
\nboilPoint 4134 deg C
\nmeltPoint 1135 deg C
\nheatVapor
\nheatFusion
\nelecConduct
\nthermalConduct 0.275
\nspecificHeat
\nspecificGrav ~18.95
\nvalence 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6
\nconfiguration [Rn] 5f^3 6d 7s^2<\/p>\n
URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE<\/p>\n
Symbol: UF6
\nUsed in separation techniques since there is only 1 isotope of F. Molecular
\nweight is 349 or 352, corresponding to U-235 and U-238 respectively. Highly
\nsymmetrical moelcule. Fluorines arranged arround central U atom, along the
\n3 perpendicular axes. UF6 is highly reactive, especially against water and
\nmany organic compounds. Strong fluorinating agent. Corrosive to most metals.
\nOnly Ni or Al and their alloys are suitable for UF6 handling in separators.
\nColorless solid at room temp. At room pressure, it sublimes at 56.5 C. cf
\ndry ice.<\/p>\n
1994<\/p>\n
