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The Physics of the Manhattan Project

:	Bruce Cameron Reed
:	The Physics of the Manhattan Project
:	Springer-Verlag
:	9783642147098
:	2
:	CHF 57.30
:

:	Atomphysik, Kernphysik
:	English

:	170
:	DRM
:	PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet
:	PDF

The development of nuclear weapons during the Manhattan Project is one of the most significant scientific events of the twentieth century. This book, prepared by a gifted teacher of physics, explores the challenges that faced the members of the Manhattan project. In doing so it gives a clear introduction to fission weapons at the level of an upper-level undergraduate physics student. Details of nuclear reactions, their energy release, the fission process, how critical masses can be estimated, how fissile materials are produced, and what factors complicate bomb design are covered. An extensive list of references and a number of problems for self-study are included. Links are given to several spreadsheets with which users can run many of the calculations for themselves.

	The Physics of the Manhattan Project	3
	Preface	7
	References	10
	Contents	11
	Chapter 1: Energy Release in Nuclear Reactions, Neutrons, Fission, and Characteristics of Fission	15
	1.1 Notational Conventions for Mass Excess and Q-Values	16
	1.2 Rutherford and the Energy Release in Radium Decay	17
	1.3 Rutherford´s First Artificial Nuclear Transmutation	19
	1.4 Discovery of the Neutron	20
	1.5 Artificially-Induced Radioactivity and the Path to Fission	28
	1.6 Energy Release in Fission	33
	1.7 The Bohr-Wheeler Theory of Fission: The $$ {{{{\bf Z^2}}} {\bf \left/ {A} \right.}} $$ Limit Against Spontaneous Fission	34
	1.8 Energy Spectrum of Fission Neutrons	39
	1.9 Leaping the Fission Barrier	41
	1.10 A Semi-Empirical Look at the Fission Barrier	46
	References	50
	Chapter 2: Critical Mass and Efficiency	52
	2.1 Neutron Mean Free Path	53
	2.2 Critical Mass: Diffusion Theory	58
	2.3 Effect of Tamper	64
	2.4 Estimating Bomb Efficiency: Analytic	71
	2.5 Estimating Bomb Efficiency: Numerical	79
	2.5.1 A Simulation of the Hiroshima Little Boy Bomb	82
	2.6 Another Look at Untamped Criticality: Just One Number	85
	References	87
	Chapter 3: Producing Fissile Material	88
	3.1 Reactor Criticality	88
	3.2 Neutron Thermalization	91
	3.3 Plutonium Production	94
	3.4 Electromagnetic Separation of Isotopes	97
	3.5 Gaseous (Barrier) Diffusion	103
	References	108
	Chapter 4: Complicating Factors	110
	4.1 Boron Contamination in Graphite	111
	4.2 Spontaneous Fission of 240Pu, Predetonation, and Implosion	113
	4.2.1 Little Boy Predetonation Probability	118
	4.2.2 Fat Man Predetonation Probability	118
	4.3 Tolerable Limits for Light-Element Impurities	121
	References	125
	Chapter 5: Miscellaneous Calculations	127
	5.1 How Warm is It?	127
	5.2 Brightness of the Trinity Explosion	128
	5.3 Model for Trace Isotope Production in a Reactor	132
	References	137
	Chapter 6: Appendices	138
	6.1 Appendix A: Selected Delta-Values and Fission Barriers	138
	6.2 Appendix B: Densities, Cross-Sections and Secondary Neutron Numbers	139
	6.2.1 Thermal Neutrons (0.0253eV)	139
	6.2.2 Fast Neutrons (2MeV)	139
	6.2.2.1 References	140
	6.3 Appendix C: Energy and Momentum Conservation in a Two-Body Collision	140
	6.4 Appendix D: Energy and Momentum Conservation in a Two-Body Collision that Produces a Gamma-Ray	143
	6.5 Appendix E: Formal Derivation of the Bohr-Wheeler Spontaneous Fission Limit	145
	6.5.1 E1: Introduction	145
	6.5.2 E2: Nuclear Surface Profile and Volume	146
	6.5.3 E3: The Area Integral	149
	6.5.4 E4: The Coulomb Integral and the SF Limit	150
	6.5.5 References	155
	6.6 Appendix F: Average Neutron Escape Probability from Within a Sphere	155
	6.7 Appendix G: The Neutron Diffusion Equation	157
	6.7.1 References	165
	6.8 Appendix H: Questions	165
	6.9 Answers	172
	6.10 Appendix I: Further Reading	173
	6.10.1 General Works	174
	6.10.2 Biographical and Autobiographical Works	175
	6.10.3 Technical Works	177
	6.10.4 Websites	178
	6.11 Appendix J: Useful Constants and Conversion Factors	179
	6.11.1 Rest Masses	179
	Index	180