Wade William Magill Allison

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• MA DPhil
• Professor Emeritus at University of Oxford

Use of a nuclear weapon would release vast quantities of energy and radiation. Although the blast and fire would destroy buildings and life within a few miles, the radioactivity and radiation would have a much smaller and limited effect. This is confirmed by all available evidence and popular experience. However, it is not what has been supposed fo...

The economic growth that comes from new soutces of energy, in the past and today in the form of nuclear energy.

the popular fear of nuclear technology has obstructed the general benefits of nuclear energy formore than 70 years. Evidence from science and history shows that this was unjustified and a major cultural reform would be beneficial for the whole of human society. First published Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, 139, p 22-24, February 2024

If the productivity of nations is to increase despite ageing and shrinking populations, a dynamic energy policy with generous provision for Artificial Intelligence is needed. The new sources should be energy-intensive, controllable, available 24/7, compact, safe, environmental, secure, reliable, and locatable where required. In the past, energy and...

School presentation from 2019, edited 2024

The harm that society expects from ionizing radiation does not match experience. Evidently there is some basic error in this assumption. A reconsideration based on scientific principles shows how simple misunderstandings have exaggerated dangers. The consequences for society are far-reaching. The immediate impact of ionizing radiation on living tis...

The simple quantitative description of chemical energy as waves hidden in matter is 100 years old. This quantum picture shows electrons resonating as in a musical instrument. Its description of fossil fuel energy applies similarly to nuclear energy. The record of 70 years confirms that the nuclear power is safer than burning fossil fuels, but unwar...

Since life began on Earth there have been four energy revolutions. Now we stand at the threshold of the fifth. This should maintain the environment, follow the laws of natural science, and support the socioeconomic needs of society. Only nuclear energy can match these, but a new spirit of informed public engagement is needed to replace seventy year...

Poster to UK school students and to young professionals offering £1000 prizes for short essays on the future for nuclear power. [This competition is personally funded by members of SONE, an independent organisation dedicated to encourage the understanding and adoption of nuclear power.]

Energy is curiously ethereal 'stuff'. Considering its universal importance, it is surprising how few people can relate its many guises. Some obvious varieties can be felt or seen, and so are more familiar-moving, falling and hot objects, for example. The sticking point is that, even for these, energy that is not fully under control is seen as a sou...

References Though an ideal energy source, nuclear made an unfortunate entry into world affairs. Accompanied by frightening tales of destruction it failed early on to gain the confidence required of a leading contributor to future human prosperity. Is radioactivity and nuclear radiation particularly dangerous? It has been wielded as a political weap...

Though an ideal energy source, nuclear made an unfortunate entry into world affairs. Accompanied by frightening tales of destruction it failed early on to gain the confidence required of a leading contributor to future human prosperity. Is radioactivity and nuclear radiation particularly dangerous? It has been wielded as a political weapon for 70 y...

To face the changing climate the world must forgo the medium-and long-term use of fossil fuels and stop deluding itself that renewables controlled by the vagaries of the weather can be a reliable replacement. We have long neglected the provision of the science education that would ensure that everybody trusts the workings of the natural world aroun...

In the past few days irresponsible stories about nuclear radiation risks in the Ukraine-Russia War have appeared in the media, despite being firmly rebuked. In times of war misinformation can be dangerous and the subject deserves a wider discussion. It is a long time since the world received serious threats that included the words "nuclear" and "ra...

An introduction to the safety issues in large-scale Li-ion Battery Energy Storage Systems or BESS

Emeritus Professor of Physics and Fellow of Keble College, Oxford Vladimir Putin is deranged. Having invaded Ukraine, next might he think of threatening nuclear war? But how much worse would that be than a conventional one? An old question settled long ago, you may think, but now it deserves a modern scientific answer. Those of my generation raise...

An exploration of the possible replacements for fossil fuels, their science and history. Evidently only nuclear energy can provide the energy required. Despite its exceptional safety this still carries a legacy of historical misunderstandings. These can be overcome through general re-education for the sake of future generations. [1] Adequate source...

Preprint of a new book on understanding, calculating and using the physics of Cherenkov radiation, transition radiation and energy loss. "The Flight of a Relativistic Charge in Matter: Insights, Calculations and Practical Applications of Classical Electromagnetism"

Sources of wind and solar electrical power need large energy storage, most often provided by Lithium-Ion batteries of unprecedented capacity. Incidents of serious fire and explosion suggest that the danger of these to the public, and emergency services, should be properly examined.

As the world discusses sources of energy it is spooked by an eighty-year-old fear of ionising radiation and all forms of nuclear energy. But evidencefrom simple observation shows that this fear is simply misplaced and thateverybody should be confident in making a future with nuclear power.

n the past year we have seen how a successful global defence has three strands: the scientific research to find one or more vaccines; the international business collaboration needed to scale up and manufacture the vaccines for worldwide delivery; the publicity required to ensure that the vaccine is not rejected by the people or their politicians. W...

Why a big battery cannot stabilise an electrcity grid supplied by wind and solar alone. Most enthusiasts for wind and solar would love a technology that offered an electrical mega battery capable of storing renewable energy for a week, or even just a day. To a potential investor in the energy business a battery is a seductive idea-just put your sur...

Modern society needs large amounts of energy, available at all times and with least impact on the environment. The established principles of natural science describe just four distinct sources of energy in the Universe. Examples of these, in order of increasing potency, are renewables, fossil fuels, nuclear power, gravitational collapse, although t...

Offshore wind power cannot replace fossil fuels. Actual data for November 2020 shows near breaks in UK electricity supply. The UK Government programme of offshore wind cannot deliver what has been promised. Without fossil fuels only a huge nuclear programme can ensure electric power in the decades to come. That requires a cultural change in social...

The world's demonic fear of nuclear energy dates from the nuclear bombs dropped on Japan 75 years ago this month. Today this clouds judgement at a critical point. The threats to world order are climate change and the coronavirus, not nuclear fission. The fear of nuclear energy should be exorcised and its unique ability to mitigate climate change re...

Many of the greatest achievements of humanity have engaged the help of numbers. This makes the celebration of the birth of Florence Nightingale, born 200 years ago on 12 th May 2020, particularly relevant today. She is remembered for bringing discipline and care to nursing, but she was also an accomplished statistician. By carefully collecting evid...

The nations of the world plan to stop burning carbon fuels but have not fixed on the replacement. For social and economic confidence, they need to share a proper picture of the options. The science is simply explained and not in doubt, though widely misunderstood. Energy sources belong to three distinct groups – “renewables”, chemical and nuclear....

Every step in the development of life has been a step in the use of energy: from static plants to mobile animals with internal energy supply: then with mankind's intelligence the use of external energy from other creatures and the power of wind, sun, flame and water; then with fossil fuels the Industrial Revolution with energy 24/7. Without fossil...

Discussion of fundamental science with conclusions: = Nuclear energy is the only energy source that survives scientific scrutiny. = The present precautionary culture obstructs and delays the rapid roll out of nuclear power needed to replace both fossil fuel and “renewable” plants worldwide. = Education challenge is critical, to build the skill bas...

1. A complete list of available sources of energy, their suitability and impact on nature 2. How nuclear energy can provide what is needed 3. How a collective fear of nuclear technology has become established and how that can be overcome

1.Life needs energy what are the options? 2.How nuclear energy can provide what is needed 3.Concern about the safety of ionising radiation Conclusions 1.Radiation risks are insignificant. Life is already well protected by evolution and there is no need for the special concern that it has received. 2.Risks that are global, such as climate change, an...

The civilised world needs energy on a massive scale to support its population and standard of living. The laws of physical science show where that can come from. Any natural source needs to be primed by some agent and be stable enough to provide energy under control, whenever and wherever required. The science of energy is well established and offe...

Review of the book about Chernobyl by Kate Brown. One star only, posted on Amazon.co.uk

Life needs energy that is powerful, reliable and has minimal impact on the environment. Which of all possible sources match these requirements? The differences are stark and nuclear energy stands out. However so far its general adoption has been hampered by an institutionalised culture of apprehension for which there is no justification. To most cr...

Climate change threatens the foundations of the Industrial Revolution and so the basis of modern life. Established science points to nuclear energy as the only effective natural replacement for fossil fuels. However the maintenance of social stability during such a radical switch requires that a majority in society appreciates what has to be done,...

The choice between energy sources – carbon combustion, nuclear and renewables. The need for reliability, anytime and anywhere, low environmental impact, effect on other creatures, resilience in exceptional weather, security of fuel supplies.. The popular fear of nuclear energy is not justified by the evidence or an understanding of biology. Educat...

The article considers how, in the light of Climate Change, the educated public should compare the positive and negative features of renewables and nuclear energy as replacements for sources of energy that emit carbon.

(pdf of separate slides)

When humans learnt to use fire, their supremacy on the planet was assured, for a while at least. The advance was not barred by public fear and ignorance. Its adoption was welcomed and general instruction for its safe use was shared widely. However, today, with an increased population and larger economic horizons, we need a new source of energy, one...

When humans learnt to use fire, their supremacy on the planet was assured, for a while at least. The advance was not barred by public fear and ignorance. Its adoption was welcomed and general instruction for its safe use was shared widely. However, today, with an increased population and larger economic horizons, we need a new source of energy, one...

Last week saw the 150th anniversary of the birth of Marie Skłodowska. Marie Curie, as she became, received Nobel Prizes in both physics and chemistry for deciphering the basis of nuclear science and radioactivity, knowledge that she then applied to medicine, including the treatment of cancer. For the latter at least she is gratefully and universall...

The most effective source of carbon-free energy available on a large scale is nuclear and this would be accepted but for the general view that it is particularly dangerous. The scientific evidence does not support this long-held apprehension. Why has this contradiction persisted for so long and why is nuclear power apparently so expensive? The evid...

Building a nuclear power plant involves risk and money like any large project, but how much risk and how much money? The choices affect everybody – investors, consumers and society as a whole. If more money is spent with the intention of reducing risk, then it is not available for other purposes, such as reducing utility charges. With risk as with...

This book explores the science and the evidence that justify the following statement: Nuclear energy is the answer to climate change - it is best for human health and for the environment, and only those still in the thrall of Cold War propaganda think otherwise.

An increased use of nuclear power is now accepted as inevitable by many people, but not without some unease, and the accidents at Chernobyl and Fukushima as described in the media bring little reassurance. So how dangerous is radiation exposure, for instance to those living within the influence of such accidents?

More than 10,000 people have died in the Japanese tsunami, and the survivors are cold and hungry. But the media concentrate on nuclear radiation from which no one has died—and is unlikely to. Nuclear radiation at very high levels is dangerous, but the scale of concern that it evokes is misplaced. Nuclear technology cures countless cancer patients e...

Our attitude to ionising radiation is irrational, and raising safety limits would do far more good than harm, says medical physicist Wade Allisons

Expeditions in search of a rainbow's end never reach their goal. Efforts to solve the problem of nuclear-waste disposal have not had much success either – perhaps because they have been addressing questions the wrong way round. There are two basic challenges of waste disposal. The first is scientific: the waste must be kept somewhere out of harm's...

(G. J. Feldman is the Harvard author) The Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search (MINOS) experiment uses an accelerator-produced neutrino beam to perform precision measurements of the neutrino oscillation parameters in the "atmospheric neutrino" sector associated with muon neutrino disappearance. This long-baseline experiment measures neutrino i...

The triumph of 20th century particle physics was the development of the Standard Model and the confirmation of many of its aspects. Experiments determined the particle constituents of ordinary matter, and identified four forces that hold matter together and transform it from one form to another. Particle interactions were found to obey precise laws...

This paper presents new theoretical results on the passage of muons through liquid hydrogen which have been confirmed in a recent experiment. These are used to demonstrate that muon bunches may be compressed by ionization cooling more effectively than suggested by previous calculations. Muon cooling depends on the differential cross section for ene...

The velocity resolution of ionisation measurements in gases by multiple sampling is discussed using the Photo Absorption Ionisation model (PAI). The calculations are shown to agree rather well with observation. Different methods of data analysis are compared and the particle resolution that has been obtained in practice is examined. We look at syst...

This Letter reports results from the MINOS experiment based on its initial exposure to neutrinos from the Fermilab NuMI beam. The rates and energy spectra of charged current nu(mu) interactions are compared in two detectors located along the beam axis at distances of 1 and 735 km. With 1.27x10(20) 120 GeV protons incident on the NuMI target, 215 ev...

This Letter reports results from the MINOS experiment based on its initial exposure to neutrinos from the Fermilab NuMI beam. The rates and energy spectra of charged current nu(mu) interactions are compared in two detectors located along the beam axis at distances of 1 and 735 km. With 1.27 x 10(20) 120 GeV protons incident on the NuMI target, 215...

Fundamental Physics for Probing and Imaging Allison 2 Physics has reduced fear and increased safety for society, largely by extending the power to see. The methods used are magnetic resonance, ionising radiation and sound, with their extensions. This textbook expounds the fundamental physics of these. It follows how they are applied by modern techn...

This letter reports results from the MINOS experiment based on its initial exposure to neutrinos from the Fermilab NuMI beam. The rates and energy spectra of charged current {nu}{sub {mu}} interactions are compared in two detectors located along the beam axis at distances of 1 km and 735 km. With 1.27 x 10{sup 20} 120GeV protons incident on the NuM...

The complete 5.4 kton MINOS far detector has been taking data since the beginning of August 2003 at a depth of 2070 meters water-equivalent in the Soudan mine, Minnesota. This paper presents the first MINOS observations of νμ and ν̅ μ charged-current atmospheric neutrino interactions based on an exposure of 418 days. The ratio of upward- to downwar...

The complete 5.4 kton MINOS far detector has been taking data since the beginning of August 2003 at a depth of 2070 meters water-equivalent in the Soudan mine, Minnesota. This paper presents the first MINOS observations of nu(mu) and (nu) over bar (mu) charged-current atmospheric neutrino interactions based on an exposure of 418 days. The ratio of...

17 pages, 16 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. D

Upward-going stopping muons initiated by atmospheric {nu}{sub {mu}} and {nu}{sub {mu}} interactions in the rock below the Soudan 2 detector have been isolated, together with a companion sample of neutrino-induced single muons, created within the detector, which travel downwards and exit. The downward-going sample is consistent with the atmospheric-...

Upward-going stopping muons initiated by atmospheric \numu and \anumu interactions in the rock below the Soudan 2 detector have been isolated, together with a companion sample of neutrino-induced single muons, created within the detector, which travel downwards and exit. The downward-going sample is consistent with the atmospheric-neutrino flux pre...

A deficit of atmospheric νμ events, consistent with the hypothesis of neutrino oscillations, is observed in the 5.90 kiloton-year fiducial exposure of the Soudan 2 detector. An unbinned maximum likelihood analysis of the neutrino L/E distribution has been carried out using the Feldman-Cousins prescription. The probability of the no oscillation hypo...

To show that the principle of ionization cooling will work for muon beams we must be able to simulate energy loss and scattering in media reliably. We have three choices: we can use traditional calculations with their uncertainties; we can make measurements (MUSCAT) or, we can calculate the phenomena more carefully, looking afresh at the phenomena...

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We have searched for nucleon decay into five two-body final states using a 4.4 kiloton-year fiducial exposure of the Soudan 2 iron tracking calorimeter. For proton decay into the fully visible final states μ+η0 and e+η0, we observe zero and one event, respectively, that satisfy our search criteria for nucleon decay. The lifetime lower limits (τ/B)...

A search for nucleon decay into two-body final states containing K-o mesons has been conducted using the 963 metric ton Soudan 2 iron tracking calorimeter. The topologies, ionizations, and kinematics of contained events recorded in a 5.52 kiloton-year total exposure (4.41 kton-year fiducial volume exposure) are examined for compatibility with nucle...

A shadow of the Moon, with a statistical significance of 5sigma, has been observed in the underground muon flux at a depth of 2090 mwe using the Soudan 2 detector. The angular resolution of the detector is well described by a Gaussian with a sigma

We have searched for nucleon decay into five two-body final states using a 4.4 kiloton-year fiducial exposure of the Soudan 2 iron tracking calorimeter. For proton decay into the fully visible final states μ{sup +}η° and e{sup +}η°, we observe zero and one event, respectively, that satisfy our search criteria for nucleon delay. The lifetime lo...

We propose a long baseline neutrino oscillation experiment using a fine-grained calorimeter which is appropriate to the study of neutrino interactions. The high flux from the Main Injector neutrino beams, coupled with moderate neutrino energies and the long distance from Fermilab to Soudan Minnesota, will combine to provide unprecedented sensitivit...

We propose a oscillation experiment using a new 16 kT iron sampling calorimeter which would be capable of discovering mixing, ! e or ! with a sensitivity of 0:01 in sin 2 (2`) and 10 Gamma3 eV 2 in Deltam 2 . The detector would provide evidence for the appearance of leptons if ! oscillations occur. Such a new detector built at the Soudan Undergroun...

J. Guarino 1 , J. Hanson 3 , R. Heinz 7 , K. Heller 11 , N. Hill 1 , Y. Ho 4 , G. Irwin 15 , U. Jagadish 12 , D. Johnson 5 , T. Kafka 18 , G. Koizumi 5 , E. P. Kuznetsov 9 , A. Lan 6 , K. Lau 6 , W. Lee 4 , M. Libkind 10 , J.Liu 6 , N. P. Longley 3 , W. A. Mann 18 , M. L. Marshak 11 , D. Maxam 11 , E. N. May 1 , B. Mayes 6 , D. G. Michael 3 , R. H....

The atmospheric muon neutrino deficit suggests that mass and mixings could be measured with a long baseline neutrino oscillation experiment from Fermilab's Main Injector. We are proposing such an experiment from Fermilab to Soudan, Minnesota using a double horn neutrino beam and the 120 GeV Main Injector. The experiment concentrates on the mode ! ....

this document we address the issues raised by the PAC in their consideration of the P822 proposal for a long baseline neutrino oscillation experiment. They were:

The Soudan 2 deep underground tracking calorimeter has recorded cosmic ray muon tracks from the direction of the galactic x-ray binary Cygnus X-3 on most transits during the interval 1989-1998. We analyze these events in the context of previous reports of Cygnus X-3-related muon flux during major radio flares of that source. We find some evidence f...

The absorption of cosmic rays by the sun produces a shadow at the earth. The angular offset and broadening of the shadow are determined by the magnitude and structure of the interplanetary magnetic field (IPMF) in the inner solar system. The authors report the first measurement of the solar cosmic ray shadow by detection of deep underground muon fl...

We report a measurement of the atmospheric neutrino flavor ratio, R, using a sample of quasi-elastic neutrino interactions occurring in an iron medium. The flavor ratio (tracks/showers) of atmospheric neutrinos in a 3.9 fiducial kiloton-year exposure of Soudan 2 is 0.64±0.11(stat.)±0.06(syst.) of that expected. Important aspects of our main analysi...

A shadow of the moon, with a statistical significance of 5σ, has been observed in the underground muon flux at a depth of 2090 mwe using the Soudan 2 detector. The angular resolution of the detector is well described by a Gaussian with σ ≤ 0.3 •. The position of the shadow confirms the alignment of the detector to better than 0.15 •. This alignment...

We have searched for the proton decay mode p→νK+ using the one-kiloton Soudan 2 high resolution calorimeter. Contained events obtained from a 3.56 kiloton-year fiducial exposure through June 1997 are examined for occurrence of a visible K+ track which decays at rest into μ+ν or π+π0. We found one candidate event consistent with background, yielding...

Deep underground muon events recorded by the Soudan 2 detector, located at a depth of 2100 m of water equivalent, have been used to infer the nuclear composition of cosmic rays in the ``knee'' region of the cosmic ray energy spectrum. The observed muon multiplicity distribution favors a composition model with a substantial proton content in the ene...

The atmospheric neutrino flavour ratio measured using a 1.52 kton-year exposure of Soudan 2 is found to be 0.72 ± 0.19−0.07+0.05 relative to the expected value from a Monte Carlo calculation. The possible background of interactions of neutrons and photons produced in muon interactions in the rock surrounding the detector has been investigated and i...