28-09-2003, 14:53
The few first neutrons fired. The graphite control rods relaxed their strangle hold. One by one new Throium-230 nuclei joined the reaction. Photons radiated outwards, converting into heat when they bump into the coolant, pure sulphur dioxyde compressed to liquidity, coming back to life as it heats, now rushing gaseous again, spinning turbines. And the miracle occurs again, an electric current, rushing into crystals, bouncing off silvered and half-silvered facets until a strong current rushing together forms the first pulse, rushing down fiber-optic cables, some of them into specially-crafted alloys, which react, putting out a storm of photons on the microwave frequencies. Others rush through coils of wires, generating a magnetic field....And the helium nuclei get hit by a storm of microwaves. The electrons are torn away by the pure energy absorbed, leaving the pare nuclei- two protons, two neturons, mere alpha particles- to zoom around at high speed. But they're prisoners of the magnetic field, and they bounce off the wall at one end of they're compartment.... and so a stream gushes out the other end. Then the control rods set in, stopping the Thorium fission. A man looks at his intsruments and nods to another.