[Prime Choice]

My point is really quite simple. Yes, under neutron bombardment U-238 will convert to Pu-239, but not in nearly enough time to become part of the fission/fusion reaction, as you claimed it would in post #58.

Um...here's what I wrote in #58:

"Don't forget deuterium...and an order of magnitude more sophistication in detonation timing...plus the core fission bomb to generate enough heat to start the fusion reaction...and, just for color, try it in a fission-fusion-fission configuration by encasing it all in a U-238 shell so that the fusion reaction will saturate the U-238 with free neutrons, thus changing it to Plutonium which is then scattered across several miles."

Please point out where I said it became "part of the fission/fusion reaction." As I plainly stated, the resulting plutonium would be scattered. Doesn't say a thing about it being "part of the fission/fusion reaction."

Are we going to ping-pong this dialogue the whole day now? It was boring two messages ago.

[Boot Hill]

Prime Choice says:   "As I plainly stated, the resulting plutonium would be scattered.."

Once again, the point is that there would be NO "resulting plutonium", because the reaction of "saturate the U-238 with free neutrons, thus changing it to Plutonium" NEVER OCCURRED. There was not enough time. You need days for the U-238 to Pu-239 reaction to occur and you've only got nanoseconds in that bomb.

--Boot Hill

[Southack]

"by encasing it all in a U-238 shell so that the fusion reaction will saturate the U-238 with free neutrons, thus changing it to Plutonium"

Cough...

[DallasMike]

Are we going to ping-pong this dialogue the whole day now? It was boring two messages ago.

My eyes glazed over far more than 2 messages ago. The one thing that I know for certain is that it would be a Bad Thing for the sand Nazis to get any amount of HEU.