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Re: FW: talk to journos



Many neutron sources use the (alpha,n) reaction.  Usually, Be is used as the target material, since a rule of thumb is that the lower the Z of the target, the larger the reaction cross section.  However, Al could also be used.  ICRU Report 10b, "Physical Aspects of Irradiation' (NBS Handbook 85, 1964) lists, among the commonly used neutron sources, a Po-210/Al source, with a yield of 2 E-8 n/sec per Curie.

The opinions expressed are strictly mine.
It's not about dose, it's about trust.
Curies forever.

Bill Lipton
liptonw@dteenergy.com
 
 

RuthWeiner@AOL.COM wrote:

In a message dated 9/1/02 6:15:15 PM Mountain Daylight Time, sonterm@EPA.NSW.GOV.AU writes:
 
 
The famous 'radioactive boy scout' story, where some young fellow collects
radium paint and thorium mantles and wraps them in alfoil to make neutron
source etc finally contaminating his grandmother's toolshed (and supposedly,
half the neighbourhood as well), is it an urban myth or did it really
happen?

It may be famous but I never heard it.  Radium-dial wristwatches have not been on the market for at least 40 years.   Yes, thorium mantles are alpha emitters (we make cloud chambers using bits of thorium mantles) but how would thorium and radium interact with aluminum to make a neutron source? Can someone explain this?

Ruth Weiner, Ph. D.
ruthweiner@aol.com