Nuclear science

The goal of the NEA in this area is to help member countries identify, collate, develop and disseminate basic scientific and technical knowledge required to ensure safe, reliable and economic operation of current nuclear systems and to develop next-generation technologies.

Objectives

• To help advance the existing scientific knowledge needed to enhance the performance and safety of current nuclear systems;
• To contribute to building a solid scientific and technical basis for the development of future-generation nuclear systems;
• To support the preservation of essential knowledge in the field of nuclear science.

Programme of work

The NEA nuclear science programme is developed and executed by the Nuclear Science Committee (NSC), comprising high-level scientific experts from all NEA member countries. The secretarial support to the NSC is provided by the NEA Nuclear Science section. Close co-operation with the Data Bank is maintained, primarily because of the potential for mutual benefit to be gained between the programme of work of the Data Bank and the type of activities pursued within the nuclear science programme. The main areas of work are:

• reactor physics;
• fuel cycle physics and chemistry;
• criticality safety;
• material science;
• radiation shielding.

Working parties (and expert groups)

• Working Party on Scientific Issues of Reactor Systems (WPRS)
• Working Party on Scientific Issues of the Fuel Cycle (WPFC)
• Working Party on Nuclear Criticality Safety (WPNCS)
• Working Party on Multi-scale Modelling of Fuels and Structural Materials for Nuclear Systems (WPMM)
• Working Party on International Nuclear Data Evaluation Co-operation (WPEC)

• Expert Group on Needs of R&D Facilities in Nuclear Science
• Expert Group on Integral Experiments for Minor Actinide Management

Related links

• Nuclear science meetings
• Nuclear science publications
• Nuclear science documents
• Gantt chart of all NSC activities (password protected, last updated 9 November 2009)
  

For more information on activities managed/supported by the NSC, please contact Claes Nordborg (Claes.Nordborg@oecd.org).

• Publications





•  Nuclear science publications


• Meetings



• Nuclear science meetings and conferences