A new 3-story addition to Burlington Labs was constructed (known as the new building). Between it and the old building, a reactor building was constructed, along with a loading dock and walkway that bridged the old and new buildings. The reactor building housed the 1 MW pool nuclear reactor manufactured by AMF and known as the "Pulstar" reactor. It was named for its pulsing ability, by which it can safely become super prompt critical and produce very short pulses of radiation. The reactor became operational August 25, 1972, replacing the previous series. The initial costs were reported to be 1.5 M US$. In the 1980s a Prompt Gamma facility and a Neutron Radiography facility were added. The prompt gamma facility performs the analysis of elements that emit characteristic signatures immediately on neutron capture. The Neutron Radiography facility provides imaging capabilities to the fundamental difference in the interaction of neutrons with nuclei in comparison to the interaction of x-rays and electrons. In 1997 the Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved a 20-year license extension. The Pulstar reactor is currently running at 1MW which is the maximum power output that it can legally reach. It has plans to move up to 2 MW in the future. Preparations are done and all they are waiting for is approval. Moving to 2 MW will allow for more research to undergo with more radiation and power. Facilities Neutron Imaging Facility Neutron radiography is a powerful non-destructive imaging technique for the internal evaluation of materials or components. It involves the attenuation of a neutron beam by an object to be radiographed, and registration of the attenuation process (as an image) digitally or on film. Neutron radiography is similar in principle to X-ray radiography, and is complementary in the nature of information supplied. The interactions of X-rays and neutrons with matter are fundamentally different, however, forming the basis of many unique applications using neutrons. While X-rays interact with the electron cloud surrounding the nucleus of an atom, neutrons interact with the nucleus itself. For more information see neutron radiology. Ultra Cold Neutron Source The Ultra Cold Neutron Source (UCNS) uses neutrons produced in the reactor by slowing them down through a chamber of methane and other materials and holds them in a tank of D2O. This addition is essentially a tap of neutrons from a beamport adjacent to the reaction to do this research. References External links Official site