Natural nuclear fission reactor

Nuclear Physics and Radioactivity

A natural nuclear fission reactor is a uranium deposit in which self-sustaining nuclear chain reactions occur through geological processes rather than human construction. The only known location is Oklo, Gabon, where sixteen sites contain small ore-layer patches. Reactions there are thought to have occurred about 1.7 billion years ago and continued intermittently for a few hundred thousand years. Groundwater acted as a moderator, and oxygen likely helped concentrate uranium into fissionable ore bodies.

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Only known location: Oklo, Gabon
Estimated age: Approximately 1.7 billion years ago
Estimated maximum thermal power: Probably no more than 100 kW

Sources and credits

Article: Natural nuclear fission reactor (English Wikipedia)
Wikidata: Q64470499
Text: Card text is adapted from the English Wikipedia article by an automated summary. Wikipedia content is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for its contributors. CC BY-SA 4.0 · Article history and contributors
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