8300 draft
See below. Skip to the very bottom for comments.
Basic Nuclear Experimentation (8300) (6 IC, 180 days)
Supporting Nuclear Materials (8301) In order to move into larger scale experimentation on nuclear research, significant technical enhancements in supporting technologies was necessary. (4 IC, 180 days)
Micro-chemistry (8302) In order to isolate the initial U-235 samples it was necessary to develop advanced analytical techniques which would permit the separation of this isotope of Uranium from the vastly more prevalent U-238 isotope. Requires 8301 as a pre-requisite. (2 IC, 180 days)
Heavy Water Production (8303) Heavy water occurs when the water molecule has two deuterium atoms instead of a regular hydrogen atoms bonding to the oxygen atom. This molecule slows down neutron particles that pass through it. The world first heavy water plant was commissioned in 1934 in Norway. Requires 8301 as a pre-requisite. (10 IC, 360 days) (Note, this tech should belong to Norway’s initial OOB. If Britain, USSR, Sweden, or Russia conquers Norway the annexing or puppeting power automatically acquires the tech via event.
Purified Graphite Production (8304) Graphite was broadly used in industry for its conductive properties, but it was also found that it would moderate neutrons, creating interest in this material as an alternative to heavy water to serve as a structural material and moderator in a controlled a nuclear chain reaction. A key to using this in atomic applications was the purification to remove trace elements of boron and calcium from the matrix of graphite (carbon). Requires 8301 as a pre-requisite. (3 IC, 180 days)
Large Cyclotron Construction (8305) These machines were able to raise particles to higher and higher potentials in order to generate more energetic subatomic interactions. While still useful as experimental vehicles, the increasing precision and control of these machines also permitted accurate measurements of various sub-atomic interactions. Requires 8207 as a pre-requisite. (4 IC, 180 days)
Nuclear Piles (8306): In order to demonstrate a controlled chain reaction and make measurements in order to validate key parts of theory, it was necessary to fabricate a nuclear pile. There were two basic types of piles developed during the 1940s, the heavy water pile and the carbon moderated pile. Requires 8205 and 8207 as a pre-requisite. (4 IC, 180 days)
Nuclear Pile Theory (8307) This is the applied physics work to design a structure which would allow a controlled chain reaction. A radioactive material is used for fuel. It has to fit within a structure that can tolerate the heat and radiation released by the chain reaction. There also has to be control mechanisms which allow the chain reaction to start and be turned off. Requires 8306 as a pre-requisite. (1 IC, 90 days)
Heavy Water Pile Construction (8308) This pile uses U238 as a fuel. Heavy water is used as a moderator. The bombardment of the U238 by the slow neutrons moderated by the heavy water results in creation of Plutonium which can be chemically separated from the U238. This was the approach favored by Heisenberg and his team of researchers in Germany. Their design featured alternating layers of Uranium and Paraffin which were suspended in a heavy water tank. Requires 8009, 8303, 8307, 8312, and 8317 and Small Arms Manufacturing as pre-requisites. (6 IC, 120 days)
Graphite Pile Construction (8309) This approach was used by the Americans and Soviets in their research. It used uranium embedded in blocks of purified graphite with cadmium control rods which could be inserted or removed from the stack of material. The cadmium absorbed neutrons, damping the chain reaction. Requires 8009 8304, 8307, 8312, 8317 and Small Arms Manufacturing as pre-requisites (6 IC, 120 days)
Basic Uranium Metallurgy (8310) Uranium had been something of a novelty element prior to 1930s. Its salts were radioactive, but there were no major industrial applications for the metal. Belgium had mines in the Congo which produced the metal. (2 IC, 90 days)
Uranium Oxide Production (8311) Most uranium ores are oxides of uranium: U3O8, UO2, UO3. Concentrations of U308 vary from as much as 20% in some Canadian ores to only 0.5% in some Australian ores. The ore is mechanically ground up in ball mills and subjected to a variety of chemical processes that result in “Yellowcake”, pure U3O8. Requires 8009, 8310 as a pre-requisite. (2 IC, 90 days)
Uranium Purification (8312) The yellowcake,U3O8, is dissolved in nitric acid and then subjected to a series of chemical reactions which generate a tremendous amount of toxic chemical by-products. Pure uranium metal can be obtained by reducing uranium tetrafluoride with either calcium or magnesium. However, the pure uranium will contain a mixture of both U235 and U238. (2 IC, 90 days) Note: Much of the pre-war Uranium production took place in the Congo and this technology was resident in Belgium. Consequently 8310, 8311, and 8312 should be part of Belgium’s pre-war OOB. If Germany or the USSR takes control of Antwerp, then they will gain these technologies. Note, I am using a province control trigger since annexation or puppeting would require the physical conquest of provinces in equatorial Africa.
U235 Isolation (8313) Small quantities of U235 could be extracted from the mix of U235 and U238. This permitted experimental confirmation of the reaction of U235 atoms to slow neutrons which was necessary to show that relatively small, transportable quantities of U235 could be used in an atomic reaction. Requires 8310 and 8302 as pre-requisites. (Note that this is lab scale activity so only an understanding of the metallurgy in contrast to an industrial capability to manufacture tens of kilograms). (1 IC, 90 days)
Plutonium Isolation (8314) Once Plutonium had been created it was necessary to identify the chemical processes required to remove it from the Uranium metal in which is was embedded. Requires 8310 and 8210 as pre-requisites. (1 IC, 90 days)
Chain Reaction Calculations (8315) In order to calculate the amount of heat and radiation given off in a chain reaction, it was necessary to perform calculations on the size of the various atoms involved compared to the neutrons that would strike them. Furthermore, it was necessary to get some level of empirical confirmation since these numbers varied by up to four orders of magnitude (10,000 times) depending on the who did the calculations and the assumptions that they used. Requires Basic Computer as a pre-requisite (1 IC, 90 days)
Beryllium Cross Section Calculation (8316) The critical question for fission was the size of the nucleus compared to the atom. In the case of Beryllium, it was found that neutrons striking this atom would be reflected back out of the atom. This was historically completed in 1941. Requires 8315 as a pre-requisite (1 IC, 90 days)
U238 Cross Section Calculation (8317) The critical question for fission was the size of the nucleus compared to the atom. This would give an estimate for the chance that a neutron passing through the atom would strike the nucleus and create a reaction. The U238 was not as reactive as the U235 and so was identified as more suitable for a reactor fuel. This was completed by July, 1941. Requires 8315 as a pre-requisite (1 IC, 90 days)
U235 Cross Section Calculation (8318) The critical question for fission was the size of the nucleus compared to the atom. This would give an estimate for the chance that a neutron passing through the atom would strike the nucleus and create a reaction. The U235 was much more liable to split when struck by a fast neutron compared to the U238 and calculations suggested that as little as 1 kg might be suitable to create a bomb. The actual initial bombs used about 50 kg per weapon. This was completed in July, 1941 in the west and by December, 1941 in the USSR. Requires 8317 as a pre-requisite. (1 IC, 90 days)
Plutonium Cross Section Calculation (8319) The critical question for fission was the size of the nucleus compared to the atom. This would give an estimate for the chance that a neutron passing through the atom would strike the nucleus and create a reaction. Requires 8210 and 8315 as pre-requisites. (1 IC, 90 days)
Nuclear Weapons Theory (8320) Finally, all the pieces are available to make a reasonable estimate on how much fissionable material is necessary to make a how big of a bang. Though science fiction speculations had been afloat for years from H. G. Wells and others, and serious scientists had speculated about this possibility since fission measurements were made, the state of the art had now reached the point that it was clear an explosive device of unprecedented potency was possible, if the engineering problems could be solved. Requires 8319, 8318, and 8316 as pre-requisites. (1 IC, 90 days)
NOTES:
Note that this has 4 strings of technology: Supporting Nuclear Materials, Nuclear Piles, Uranium Metallurgy, and Chain Reaction Calculations.
The two big deliverables are a working nuclear pile (historically achieved in October 1942 by the USA) and a solid nuclear weapon theory (historically delivered in mid-1941 by the UK) Working off the historical events that fission is discovered and broadcast in early 1939, this tree requires about three years to get to the pile (including earlier 8200 work), and 2 1/2 years to get to the weapons theory.
This also starts to hook into the electronics and manufacturing tech trees.
There are spots to also get into the Norwegian heavy water and Belgian uranium for events and historical what-if's.
The IC costs start climbing, but are still not punitive. A heavy water facility at 10 IC for a year is the biggest hit.
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