What could have caused the natural nuclear fission reactors, in Oklo, Gabon, 1.5 billion years ago?
2007-08-30 01:47:39 · 7 answers · asked by Jim 7 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
Deep under African soil, about 1.7 billion years ago, natural conditions prompted underground nuclear reactions. Scientists from around the world, including American scientists have studied the rocks at Oklo. These scientists believe that water filtering down through crevices in the rock played a key role. Without water, it would have been nearly impossible for natural reactors to sustain chain reactions.
The water slowed the subatomic particles or neutrons that were cast out from the uranium so that they could hit-and split-other atoms. Without the water, the neutrons would move so fast that they would just bounce off, like skipping a rock across the water, and not produce nuclear chain reactions. When the heat from the reactions became too great, the water turned to steam and stopped slowing the neutrons. The reactions then slowed until the water cooled. Then the process could begin again.
Scientists think these natural reactors could have functioned intermittently for a million years or more. Natural chain reactions stopped when the uranium isotopes became too sparse to keep the reactions going.
2007-08-30 02:48:35 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
There was simply such a large deposit of uranium present there that it reached critical mass and underwent a fission reaction with natural water acting as a moderator. This was discovered because the uranium mined in Oklo had a lower concentration of U235 than expected, as if the uranium had already been used in a reactor. This is believed to have happened about two billion years ago. Due to the half-life of U235, natural uranium has now decayed to the extent that a natural nuclear fission reaction is no longer possible on Earth.
2007-08-30 08:59:31 · answer #2 · answered by DavidK93 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps U=-235 is the nuclear waste of a a special Nuclear reaction during the period that the earth was chaotic.During its structural Creation.
The time frame of reference of 1 billion years ago appears to be a bit exagerated.Since we were not here to withness the Creation of the Universe and all mass structures within.
2007-08-30 09:05:29 · answer #3 · answered by goring 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
natural nuclear fission is natural on the sun but isn't on earth.
that nuclear fission must have left a large area polluted with radioactive waste.
2007-08-30 14:08:37 · answer #4 · answered by nondescript 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It could possibly have been..wait..on the tip of my tongue..damm it's gone..i'll remember at 3am
2007-08-30 10:01:32 · answer #5 · answered by mary 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Critical mass does it every time.
2007-08-30 09:03:22 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
wow, to smart for me to think about this Jim, but have a great day!
2007-08-30 09:10:03 · answer #7 · answered by Flowers 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋