Godiva II assembly location

Original caption: Fig. 1 Location of Godiva II assembly with respect to surrounding terrain (distance from the 0 reference point to the Godiva II assembly is 8.5 meters).

Description of the Field Geometry and the Godiva II Critical Assembly

The Godiva critical assembly is located in a building called a Kiva.^[1] The Kiva is located on a canyon floor (Fig. 1) and is 1/4 mile from the control room. Measurements were made along the road leading from the Kiva to the control room. The active material in the Godiva II assembly is made up of a bare mass of approximately 60 kg of enriched U235. The critical mass is a right circular cylinder 7 inches in diameter with a hemispherical dome, mounted on a triangular stand (Fig. 2).^[2] The critical mass is surrounded by a wire screen cage 9 inches in diameter. The horizontal midplane of the critical mass is approximately 78-1/2 inches from the Kiva floor.^[3] The electronic control circuitry occupies a position on the stand. There are numerous mechanisms and interlocks which provide a maximum degree of safety. No shielding is around the assembly itself, but the concrete Kiva (20-inch walls, 8-inch ceiling), the block house (Fig. 1), and the canyon walls create conditions that complicate "free air" measurements.^[4]

Notes

References

• Engelke, Morris; Bemis Jr., Edwin A.; Sayeg, J. A. (1961-05). LA-2569 Neutron tissue dose rate survey for the Godiva II critical assembly (pdf). Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. Retrieved on 2008-02-28.