[ RadSafe ] WW2 Nuclear Efforts

[JPreisig at aol.com]

Hmmmmmm,

      This is from:    jpreisig at aol.com.


       Hey Radsafers,

            Greetings from hot and humid New Jersey (USA).  Public Television
       has shown lately the Copenhagen story --- a discussion between Bohr and
       Heisenberg during WWII.  The History Channel (USA) has also been 
       showing some documentaries about the liberation of Heisenberg's
       nuclear laboratories at the end of WWII.  Apparently, the invading US
       forces found Heisenberg's Lab(s) had a fission (Heavy water moderated?)
       reactor,  complete with tons of elemental Uranium located nearby.

            Perhaps, when Heisenberg was being listened to (i.e. bugged) when
       he discussed the German "device" effort (in a British farmhouse --- he 
was
       talking with his German colleagues), he may have been talking about 
       the (elemental) mass of Uranium needed to make a German nuclear 
       device.  He suggested that tons of Uranium would be needed to make
       a German nuclear device.  Not necessarily U-235???

            The show about Copenhagen suggested that the USA had working
       Cyclotrons (see Kaplan's Nuclear Physics book), but that the German's 
had
       few, or no, working cyclotrons.  Apparently the German Political 
(and/or
       Military) leadership had scared out of Germany many of the necessary
       Cyclotron and/or Nuclear Physics researchers.  Thus, this all 
eventually
       slowed greatly German efforts to make U-235.

            A while ago (on RADSAFE) there was a discussion about hundreds of 
        pounds of (elemental) Uranium making its way from Germany to
        Japan (during WWII).  Perhaps the Japanese had a working cyclotron
        and/or Calutron to make the necessary U-235, for use in making a
        working nuclear device.

             So, there you have it, without too much research.  I believe 
        Heisenberg had the theoretical knowledge, (elemental) uranium and a
        reactor (to make plutonium???) to support the German war effort.
        But, he did not have the American invented cyclotron and/or a
        calutron.   These would have taken a while to build.


              Magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Indonesia today (small by recent
        magnitude  8.7 to 9.3 Indonesian earthquakes).  A tsunami was 
generated
        and there was some loss of life.  If you are vacationing in 
Indonesia, and
        the Ocean water heads out to sea, don't stand around picking up the 
fish
        that are flopping aroung on the beach.  Head Inlands!!!

        Regards,            Joseph R. (Joe) Preisig, Ph.D.