Further Reading — Chapter 26

Textbooks and Monographs

Reactor Physics

Lamarsh, J. R., & Baratta, A. J. Introduction to Nuclear Engineering, 4th ed. (Pearson, 2018). The standard undergraduate nuclear engineering textbook. Chapters 4–7 cover reactor theory, the four-factor formula, and criticality calculations at the level assumed in this chapter.
Duderstadt, J. J., & Hamilton, L. J. Nuclear Reactor Analysis (Wiley, 1976). A classic graduate-level treatment. The derivation of the six-factor formula and neutron diffusion theory in Chapters 5–7 is rigorous and thorough. Out of print but widely available in university libraries.
Stacey, W. M. Nuclear Reactor Physics, 3rd ed. (Wiley-VCH, 2018). A modern, comprehensive graduate text covering reactor kinetics, xenon dynamics, and advanced reactor concepts.
Glasstone, S., & Sesonske, A. Nuclear Reactor Engineering, 4th ed. (Springer, 1994). Two volumes covering reactor physics (Vol. 1) and reactor systems engineering (Vol. 2). The treatment of fuel cycles and reactor types is encyclopedic.

Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste

Wilson, P. D. (ed.) The Nuclear Fuel Cycle: From Ore to Waste (Oxford University Press, 1996). Comprehensive, single-volume treatment of the entire fuel cycle with detailed technical descriptions of each step.
National Research Council. Nuclear Wastes: Technologies for Separations and Transmutation (National Academies Press, 1996). Detailed assessment of reprocessing and transmutation options. Available free online at nap.edu.
IAEA. Nuclear Energy Series: Nuclear Fuel Cycle Objectives, No. NF-O (IAEA, 2013). Overview of the IAEA's framework for fuel cycle assessment.

Reactor Safety and Accidents

Walker, J. S. Three Mile Island: A Nuclear Crisis in Historical Perspective (University of California Press, 2004). The definitive historical account, written by the NRC's official historian. Balanced and well-sourced.
Plokhy, S. Chernobyl: The History of a Nuclear Catastrophe (Basic Books, 2018). The best general-audience account of the Chernobyl disaster. Not technical but historically rigorous.
INSAG-7. The Chernobyl Accident: Updating of INSAG-1 (IAEA Safety Series No. 75-INSAG-7, 1992). The IAEA's authoritative technical analysis of the Chernobyl accident. Available free from the IAEA website. Essential reading for understanding the physics of the event.
National Diet of Japan. The Official Report of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission (2012). The Japanese parliamentary investigation. Available online in English. The most candid official account.
Lochbaum, D., Lyman, E., & Stranahan, S. Q. Fukushima: The Story of a Nuclear Disaster (Union of Concerned Scientists / The New Press, 2014). Detailed technical narrative of the Fukushima accident with analysis of U.S. implications.

The Nuclear Energy Debate

Goldstein, J. S., & Qvist, S. A. A Bright Future: How Some Countries Have Solved Climate Change and the Rest Can Follow (PublicAffairs, 2019). Makes the case for nuclear energy as essential for decarbonization, with detailed analysis of France's and Sweden's electricity systems.
Markandya, A., & Wilkinson, P. "Electricity generation and health." The Lancet 370 (2007): 979–990. The seminal paper quantifying deaths per TWh for all major energy sources. Required reading for any evidence-based discussion of energy policy.
Ritchie, H. "What are the safest and cleanest sources of energy?" Our World in Data (2023). Updated, accessible presentation of the deaths/TWh data with interactive charts. ourworldindata.org/safest-sources-of-energy.

Journal Articles and Technical Reports

Reactor Physics and Xenon Dynamics

Glasstone, S., & Edlund, M. C. The Elements of Nuclear Reactor Theory (Van Nostrand, 1952). Chapters 12–13 contain the original pedagogical derivation of the four-factor formula and xenon poisoning dynamics.
Kerlin, T. W., & Upadhyaya, B. R. Dynamics and Control of Nuclear Reactors (Academic Press, 2019). Modern treatment of reactor kinetics, the point-kinetics equations, and control system design.

The Fuel Cycle

World Nuclear Association. "The Nuclear Fuel Cycle" (continuously updated). wna.org. Clear, data-rich overview with current production and consumption figures.
IAEA. Uranium 2022: Resources, Production, and Demand ("Red Book," jointly with OECD/NEA). The authoritative biennial survey of uranium resources and supply.

Advanced Reactors and SMRs

Generation IV International Forum. Technology Roadmap Update for Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems (2014). The defining document for Gen IV reactor concepts. Available at gen-4.org.
Ingersoll, D. T., et al. "NuScale small modular reactor for Co-generation of electricity and water." Desalination 340 (2014): 84–93. Technical description of the NuScale design and its co-generation applications.
Petti, D. A., et al. "TRISO-coated particle fuel performance." In Comprehensive Nuclear Materials, 2nd ed. (Elsevier, 2020). Vol. 3, Ch. 5. Detailed review of TRISO fuel technology and performance data.
Mignacca, B., & Locatelli, G. "Economics and finance of Small Modular Reactors: A systematic review and research agenda." Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 118 (2020): 109519. Critical assessment of SMR economics, including learning curve assumptions.
IEA. Nuclear Power in a Clean Energy System (International Energy Agency, 2019). Analysis of nuclear energy's role in decarbonization scenarios. Available free at iea.org.

Safety Data and Health Effects

UNSCEAR. Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation: UNSCEAR 2008 Report to the General Assembly (United Nations, 2008). Volumes I and II. The most authoritative international assessment of radiation health effects from Chernobyl.
UNSCEAR. Levels and Effects of Radiation Exposure Due to the Nuclear Accident After the 2011 Great East-Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (UNSCEAR 2013 Report, updated 2021). The authoritative assessment of Fukushima health effects.
Sovacool, B. K. "A critical evaluation of nuclear power and renewable electricity in Asia." Journal of Contemporary Asia 40 (2010): 369–400. Includes detailed mortality data for energy sources.

Online Resources

IAEA PRIS (Power Reactor Information System): pris.iaea.org. Real-time database of every nuclear power reactor in the world: status, capacity, output, age. Essential for any quantitative analysis of the global nuclear fleet.
World Nuclear Association: world-nuclear.org. Comprehensive, regularly updated information on reactor types, fuel cycle, country profiles, and industry data. Generally considered pro-nuclear but factually reliable.
NRC (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission): nrc.gov. Licensing documents, safety analysis reports, inspection reports, and event notifications for all U.S. reactors. The NuScale design certification documents are available here.
Our World in Data — Nuclear Energy: ourworldindata.org/nuclear-energy. Clear visualizations of nuclear capacity, generation, safety data, and comparisons with other energy sources. Uses peer-reviewed data sources.
Deep Isolation / Nuclear Waste Management: nwmo.ca (Canada), posiva.fi (Finland), skb.se (Sweden). Websites of the organizations responsible for deep geological repository development — the most advanced waste management programs in the world.
NNDC/BNL Nuclear Data: nndc.bnl.gov. Cross section data (ENDF), decay data, and nuclear structure data used in reactor physics calculations throughout this chapter.

Recommended Sequence for Further Study

For a reader who wants to deepen their understanding of nuclear energy beyond this chapter:

Start with Lamarsh & Baratta (Chapters 4–7) for a rigorous treatment of reactor physics at the senior undergraduate level.
Read INSAG-7 for the definitive technical analysis of Chernobyl.
Explore the IAEA PRIS database to understand the current state of the global nuclear fleet.
Read the IEA's Nuclear Power in a Clean Energy System for the energy policy context.
For advanced reactor concepts, start with the GIF Technology Roadmap and then read the specific design descriptions from NuScale, X-energy, TerraPower, or Kairos Power (all available on their corporate websites).