From: Charles Hixson (charleshixsn@earthlink.net)
Date: Sat Sep 28 2002 - 21:12:42 MDT
On Saturday 28 September 2002 15:19, spike66 wrote:
> Jeff Davis wrote:
> > Finally, at the link below, take a look at the picture
> > of the uranium. Can you put 15 kilos of near-bomb
> > grade uranium in an 'ingot' as shown without having a
> > criticality problem?
>
> Jeff, I wondered about that too. My foggy memory
> is that it takes at least 4 kg of U235 to make a
> criticality. I wondered if the elongated shape of
> the ingot prevented the criticality. To make a
> criticality with the 4 kg, they need to use some
> gee whiz technology to compress a sphere of the
> stuff, as I recall. I suppose smugglers could add
> some kind of carbon neutron capture material into
> the ingot to damp the reaction.
>
> I think John Clark is up to speed on this sort of
> thing. John?
>
> spike
That doesn't sound right. I though it was around 23 pounds... And the shape
is crucially important. You could have tons of it in the shape of a long
needle, and not have any criticality problems.
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