Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
273315 Fusion Engineering and Design 2008 6 Pages PDF
Abstract

During radioactive decay of a collection of nuclides the possibility of the total activity increasing is implicit in the standard differential equations. Traditional treatments do not emphasize this possibility so leading to unease when such a rise is observed. Examples of increases in activity for materials following irradiation by neutrons are given, and the phenomenon is explored in a model system of three nuclides. Conditions on the decay constants and the initial number of atoms of the nuclides such that the total activity can increase with time are given.

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Physical Sciences and Engineering Energy Energy Engineering and Power Technology
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