The Interplay of Theory and Experiments in Reactor Physics, invited, Eugene P. Wigner Reactor Physicist Award Winner

摘要

The early warning formulated by E. Wigner:rn“…There has been probably less appreciation of thernneed to develop further the “scholarly tradition”rntoward the highest approximation to the truth. Allrntoo often what is commonly known does notrnrepresent the highest approximation to the truth;rnand what is the most penetrating and nearestrnapproximation to the truth is often not commonlyrnknown. It has a bit forgotten that in all reallyrncreative thinking in reactor design, a workingrnknowledge of nuclear reaction theory is required.rnMoreover, there is a deplorable trend in reactorrnstudies, the tendency to substitute a “code” for arntheory…” has been the driving force towards arncreative interplay of theory and experiments inrnReactor Physics, in order to enlarge understandingrnof basic phenomena and to provide nuclear systemsrndesigners with general, sound and well validatedrnmethods. I will give a few examples, taken from myrnpersonal experience, which have characterized myrnresearch activity from the sixties, up to veryrnrecently.