~13~
/
little importance, not altering the nature of the problem, and that it was
of surpassing political and military importance,
-
The Committee returned to the question of information interchange.
It
Informa- was felt that the GAC should give Mr. Dean as much ammunition as it could
tion
Inter-
for his defense of the Technical Cooperation Program,
change
Dr. Fisk agreed to’
prepare a list, of arguments supporting TCP,
This Session was adjourned at 5:30 p.m,
THIRD SESSION
(March 24, 1953)
:
The Committee met at 9:05 a.m. with all members and the Secretary in
attendance,
Mr. Tomei was present during parts of the morning session,
Dr. von Neumann commented on bomb requirements for lithium-6,
function of this isotope is to react with neutrons to make tritium.
in Bombs
.
However,
it is not at all clear what concentration of Li-6 (vs Li-7) is necessary or
indeed that the natural isotopic mixture would not suffice,
Dr, Libby
pointed out that Li-7 also gives the n,t reaction and said one should not
proceed with a $150 x 106 14-6 plant until the cross sections have been
measured in the relevant energy range.
Dr. von Neumann said that:
(1)
everyone is dubious on the concentration needed in the various Sausage
modifications; it may depend on the geometry and the particular situation,
however (2) probably sooner or later we will need Li-6.
After some discus~ -
sion, Dr. Rabi asked the Weapons Subcommittee to look into this matter,
Dr. von Neumann next brought up the question of the tendency to think
of meeting budget cuts by reducing the expansion program.
He felt it would
be ill-advised to cut out Portsmouth, because (1) one cannot be at all sure
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Lithiun
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