During the meetings of the End Use Working Group, there has been a expression of the belief that un-reported criticality events have occurred in the ORR Waste Pits especially at Bear Creek and Melton Valley as well as ORNL proper. The working group felt that, if true, this would have a significant effect upon the Working Group's recommendations. The linked pages are an attempt by the author to place such events in context of the conditions in the waste pits and to evaluate such reports. The pages have been presented to the Working Group as a report. The report may be accessed by section.

Nuclear Criticality and the ORR Waste Pits - Report to EndUseWorkingGroup
    Summary & Introduction
     The ABCs of Nuclear Chain reactions - this can be skipped
     The Formation of Critical Configurations - In the Waste Pit Environment
     The Computer Simulation of Critical Events - A Brief Overview
     Criticality Scenarios - Howvever improbable in ORR Waste Pits
     The Y-12 Criticality Accident - 1958 - The Only One
     Possible Misunderstood Incidents - Nuclear and Non-nuclear
     ORR Aerial Gamma Surveys - All the Hot Spots In Town|
     Attempted Corroborations of Events - Without Success
List of USAEC Critical Events, 1946-1970 - Many events are dull
The Oklo Natural Reactor - About 2 billion years ago
Classified Solid Wastes at ORNL - A Report Summary
The Chernobyl Affair - Why It Happened and Why It Won't Happen Again
The Ozone Connection - Is It Probable