SEPTEMBER 1969 VOL. VIII NO. 3 Use of T Yndalloscope and Konimeter for Dust-Measurement (See P
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL REVIEW OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES spectra SEPTEMBER 1969 VOL. VIII NO. 3 Use of t yndalloscope and konimeter for dust-measurement (see p. 77). CONTENTS 66 WHITHER NUCLEAR FISSION? JEAN LECLERCQ Will historians in the year 3000 devote just a few lines to nuclear energy, or will a whole chapter be needed to describe its contribution to progress? 74 ECSC SPONSORSHIP OF COAL RESEARCH GUSTAV WONNERTH One of the responsibilities of the European Coal and Steel Com• munity is the promotion of research in the coal sector. This article gives a survey of the nature of this task and of the methods used to rullìi it. 79 IRRADIATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE EUROPEAN GEORG PRÖPSTL ECONOMY The industry of the European Community should not only make full use of this advanced technology but take an active part in its develop• ment. 87 AUTORADIOGRAPHY AND THE STUDY OF IRRADIATED ROGER NAUCHE NUCLEAR FUELS Original techniques for lhe radiographic study of irradiated fuels have been developed by the BR-2 (Mol) Reactor Operations Group (GEX). 91 NEWS FROM THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES: Deliberations of the Council of Ministers on European technological cooperation· Extension of Dragon agreement · Why a uranium enrichment plant is needed in the Community · Consultative Committees on pro• gramme management · Conclusion of six "fusion" contracts · Subsidies granted for coal and steel research · Proposals for directives on "Engineers" · Can thorium compete with uranium? · Inter• governmental conference on patents · Revision of Euratom basic standards· Forthcoming conferences· Conference reports· Eurisotop Bureau publications· The negotiations on the renewal of the Intelsat agreements face Europe with decisions that are likely to have a significant effect on spectra her economic, industrial, technological and political future: should Europe try to play a fairly major part in this rapidly expanding sphere of world telecommunications, or must she simply retire from the field? Alas, during the first stage of the negotia• tions, which took place in February-March Scientific and Technical Review of the 1969, the European countries revealed serious European Communities divergencies of viewpoint ; once more, therefore, (formerly Euratom Review) it looks as though disunion will beget weak• ness. Whilst in no way seeking to deny the ad• vantages afforded by operation of a system of 1969-3 satellite telecommunications organised at world level, the countries sharing in such an enterprise quite naturally want recognition of their right to operate regional or domestic Quarterly publication systems. Again, although it is important for Europe to obtain telecommunication services as cheap• Five editions: ly as possible, this aim cannot be pursued with• English, German, French, Italian and Dutch out regard to the needs of its technological and industrial development. To abandon to others from the very outset the invention and Published and edited by: development efforts still required in this field Commission of the European Communities, Directorate-General Dissemination of is no kind of a policy. Information, Let us hope that the setting-up of the 200, rue de la Lol, Brussels 4. Tel. 350040 Eurosat consortium recently by some fifty European firms may signify a new awareness of this problem. Subscriptions: For details on how to subscribe please see order form facing last page. Any article published in this Review may be reproduced in whole or in part without restriction, provided that the source is mentioned. The Commission of the European Commu• nities or any persons acting on Its behalf disclaim all liability with respect to the completeness of the Information contained in this periodical as well as to any damage which might result from the use of Infor• mation disclosed or of equipment, methods or processes described therein. Picture credits: Cover and page 77 (top, right): Dr. Wolff & Tritschler, Francfort/ Main; page 73: Siemens AG, Technischer Pressedienst, 8 Munich 1, Oskar-von-Miller- Ring 18: page 74 (2): INIEX-NIEB, Liège; page 77 (bottom, left): Steinkohlenbergbau• CONTENTS verein; page 77 (bottom, right): Hans Grempel, Gelsenkirchen, Königstr. 38; page 78: Photo Mazo, 33 bd. St. Martin, Paris 3ème; pages 67, 68, 69, 70 (2), 71, 75, 66 WHITHER NUCLEAR FISSION? 76, 87, 88 and 89: Gaston Bogaert, Brussels. Will historians in the year 3000 devote just a few lines to nuclear energy, or will a whole chapter be needed to describe its contribution to progress? Sales office: Agence et Messageries de la Presse (AMP) 1, rue de la petite île 74 ECSC SPONSORSHIP OF COAL RESEARCH Brussels 7 One of the responsibilities of the European Coal and Steel Com• Belgium munity is the promotion of research in the coal sector. This article gives a survey of the nature of this task and of the methods used to fulfil it. Yearly subscription rates: 79 IRRADIATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE EUROPEAN ECONOMY The industry of the European Community should not only make full United Kingdom 21/-; United States $ 3.50 use of this advanced technology but take an active part in its develop• ment. 87 AUTORADIOGRAPHY AND THE STUDY OF IRRADIATED Basic rate: NUCLEAR FUELS Original techniques for the radiographic study of irradiated fuels Europe: 125 Belgian Francs have been developed by the BR-2 (Mol) Reactor Operations Group (GEX). Other countries: 175 Belgian Francs 91 NEWS FROM THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES: Deliberations of the Council of Ministers on European technological cooperation· Extension of Dragon agreement · Why a uranium enrichment plant Single copies: is needed in the Community · Consultative Committees on pro• gramme management · Conclusion of six "fusion" contracts · United Kingdom 7/·; United States $1. Subsidies granted for coal and steel research · Proposals for directives on "Engineers" · Can thorium compete with uranium? · Inter• governmental conference on patents · Revision of Euratom basic standards· Forthcoming conferences· Conference reports· Eurisotop Bureau publications· Printed in the Netherlands by A. W. Sijthoff, Leiden The negotiations on the renewal of the Intelsat agreements face Europe with decisions that are likely to have a significant effect on her economic, industrial, technological and political future: should Europe try to play a fairly major part in this rapidly expanding sphere of world telecommunications, or must she simply retire from the field? Alas, during the first stage of the negotia• tions, which took place in February-March 1969, the European countries revealed serious divergencies of viewpoint; once more, therefore, it looks as though disunion will beget weak• ness. Whilst in no way seeking to deny the ad• vantages afforded by operation of a system of satellite telecommunications organised at world level, the countries sharing in such an enterprise quite naturally want recognition of their right to operate regional or domestic systems. Again, although it is important for Europe to obtain telecommunication services as cheap• ly as possible, this aim cannot be pursued with• out regard to the needs of its technological and industrial development. To abandon to others from the very outset the invention and development efforts still required in this field is no kind of a policy. Let us hope that the setting-up of the Eurosat consortium recently by some fifty European firms may signify a new awareness of this problem. Whither the imperative necessity of going beyond even the long-term estimate and trying to nuclear fission? situate nuclear energy in a prospective view. There are, I think, two kinds of dif• ference between the forward estimate and the prospect. First, a difference of time: at present Will historians in the year 3000 devote just a few lines to nuclear energy, or will a whole the boldest estimate does not go beyond chapter be needed to describe its contribution to progress? the end of the century, whereas the term "prospect" is only used for the years 2000 onwards. Secondly, a difference in the meaning of the assessments proposed. In estimates, JEAN LECLERCQ a figure has a meaning as such, even if it is presented as an order of magnitude or a "range" or if it is bounded by margins of uncertainty which are themselves ex• The nuclear research effort Or, in a less sportive vein, one could pressed in more or less precise figures. say that, in view of the gigantic efforts In the prospect, figures are only used as SINCE THE END OF the Second and sums expended to turn nuclear examples or illustrations of a general World War and even today the peaceful energy into a terrifying means of destruc• trend. utilisation of nuclear energy has been the tion, it would be wrong to spend much In fact, placing nuclear energy "in object of an immense research and devel• less on harnessing it for peaceful purposes. perspective" really means asking what opment effort. At first confined to a few However, the economy is hardly part it will play in the "coming history" very big states, this effort, which has con• swayed by fine gestures, or by moral of mankind—or, again, wondering how tinually expanded, has been steadily arguments either. the historians of the year 3000 will de• taken on by a growing number of coun• Development of the use of a new scribe the emergence of this new form tries. energy source can indeed be of great of energy and its effects on world civili• To begin with, nuclear research and scientific interest and produce major sation. Will they simply accord it a few development was exclusively in the repercussions in technology and industry.