More than 2 years after an accident that caused a small and fleeting release of radiation, a research reactor that serves as a key source of neutrons for studying materials should soon be back online.
Operators are now testing the reactor in “subcritical” conditions that don’t support a nuclear chain reaction and will ramp up from there, Dimeo says. If all goes well, he says, the facility should start to serve users in May or June. That will come as a relief to thousands of researchers studying materials ranging from crystalline solids and magnets to polymers and biological samples.
In addition to slashing available beam time, the shutdown also took unique instruments offline, Hore notes. “We are waiting on a very particular instrument at NCNR, so we just haven’t done any neutron measurements.” More important, the shutdown cut off access to the expertise of the NCNR staff scientists, says Nairiti Sinha, a soft-matter scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara. “They are the best neutron scientists in the world,” she says.
Once the NIST reactor is up and running, NCNR officials will strive first to work through the backlog of experiments waiting for beam time, Dimeo says. Unfortunately for users, before long, the NIST reactor will shut down again. NIST plans to replace a key system for cooling and slowing some of the neutrons, an upgrade that will take a year. The reactor will likely run through four or five fueling cycles, each of which lasts about 7 weeks, before commencing with the upgrade, Dimeo says.
Brasil Últimas Notícias, Brasil Manchetes
Similar News:Você também pode ler notícias semelhantes a esta que coletamos de outras fontes de notícias.
Manhattan Institute: ChatGPT Displays Leftist Bias, Allows 'Hate Speech' Against Conservatives, MenAccording to a recent study by conservative think tank the Manhattan Institute, the AI language model ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, has been found to have leftist biases and to be more tolerant of “hate speech” directed at conservatives and men.
Consulte Mais informação »
Art Institute Exhibit Reveals New Insights Into Famed Surrealist Painter Salvador Dali's 1930's WorksA new exhibition entitled “The Image Disappears” is borrowed from the name of one of the paintings featured in The Art Institutes’ first solo exhibition of Salvador Dali, revealing new insights into the iconic artist’s work.
Consulte Mais informação »
Power plants must cut pollution crossing state lines, under new EPA standardsCoal and natural gas plants in 23 states are among those affected by the new rules, aimed at cutting pollutants that contribute to smog downwind.
Consulte Mais informação »
Alaska senator's fight to regulate 'forever chemicals' gets a boost from new federal standardsThe Environmental Protection Agency proposed the first-ever national limit on PFAS compounds in drinking water that have been linked to cancer, liver damage and high cholesterol on Tuesday.
Consulte Mais informação »
Bill would make UT-Austin center formerly known as Liberty Institute into its own collegeSen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, has filed legislation that would establish The Civitas School of Civic and International Leadership as a formal college at the University of Texas at Austin.
Consulte Mais informação »
NYPD blasted for lowering standards to try to recruit more women: 'Policing is gender neutral'The New York City Police Department was hit with criticism for axing a timed run for recruits to allegedly allow more women to join the force following an exodus of officers.
Consulte Mais informação »