[Prime Choice]

I beg to differ. The first thermonuclear bomb detonated in 1954 was a three stage fission-fusion-fission bomb.

The core of this weapon was a fission bomb (A-Bomb) which served as the second stage's trigger. The second stage was the fusion (hydrogen) bomb comprised of deuterium and tritium (which, when exposed to the high temperatures of the fission reaction, yielded helium and high-energy neutrons).

The third stage was a shell of U-238 which, as a direct result of the high-speed neutrons from the fusion reaction, did undergo fission, albeit sans chain reaction.

The consequence: sufficient energy to cause fission of the uranium nuclei in the outer (third) shell increased the explosive yield and also contributed appreciably to the radioactivity of the fallout.

[Boot Hill]

Prime Choice says:   "I beg to differ...The third stage was a shell of U-238 which, as a direct result of the high-speed neutrons from the fusion reaction, did undergo fission, albeit sans chain reaction.."

You may very well be fissioning the U-238 shell, but that is different than your contention in post #58 were you claimed that "the fusion reaction will saturate the U-238 with free neutrons, thus changing it to Plutonium".

The fact is that it is not physically possible to convert U-238 to plutonium in the manner you suggest, because there is not nearly enough time for that process to occur before the fission/fusion process is complete.

--Boot Hill