Abstract
IT has recently been shown that the number1 of neutrons liberated2 in the nuclear fission of a uranium nucleus is sufficiently high to make the realization of a self-perpetuating reaction chain seem possible. The danger that a system containing uranium in high concentration might explode, once the chain is started, is considerable. It is therefore useful to point out a mechanism which gives the possibility of controlling the development of such a chain.
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References
von Halban, jun., H., Joliot, F., and Kowarski, L., NATURE, 143, 470 (1939).
von Halban, jun., H., Joliot, F., and Kowarski, L., NATURE, 143, 680 (1939). Roberts, R., Meyer, R., and Wang, P., Phys. Rev., 55, 510 (1939). Haenny, C., and Rosenberg, A., C.R., 208, 898 (1939). Szilard and Zinn (private communication). Huber and Buldinger (private communication).
Perrin, F., C.R., in the Press.
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ADLER, F., VON HALBAN, H. Nuclear Physics: Control of the Chain Reaction involved in Fission of the Uranium Nucleus. Nature 143, 793 (1939). https://doi.org/10.1038/143793a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/143793a0
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