Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Study of the Fluctuations in Neutron Density in a Homogeneous Plutonium Pile; ETUDE DE LA FLUCTUATION DE LA POPULATION DE NEUTRONS SUR UNE PILE HOMOGENE AU PLUTONIUM

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4719291
The variations in neutron density in the center of a reactor core are subjected to a statistical fluctuation phenomenon. Because of the correlations existing between the neutrons, their distribution does not follow Poisson's law. It diverges from it by a quantity depending on various parameters such as the lifetime and the effective fraction of the slowed-down neutrons. Experiments were carried out designed to demonstrate this divergence and also, more particularly, the correlation between unaffected and slowed-down neutrons; these were carried out with the help of Proserpine, a critical homogeneous plutonium assembly. (auth)
Research Organization:
France. Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique. Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires, Saclay
NSA Number:
NSA-17-021217
OSTI ID:
4719291
Report Number(s):
CEA-1690
Country of Publication:
France
Language:
English