Nuclear Isomer High Energy Density Storage System for Army Applications

Nuclear isomers store energy in metastable nuclear states with energy densities reaching gigajoules per gram of isomer. Experiments by SRS and others have shown that certain isomers can be triggered to release their stored energy at an accelerated rate byirradiating the isomers with low-energy x-rays. The energy gain is nearly 200 times in some isomers, and the released energy is in the form of gamma rays capable of triggering additional releases. The possibility exists to use a portion of the releasedenergy to drive a self-sustaining chain reaction. A controlled accelerated release of stored energy could be harnessed for a High Energy Density Storage System (HEDSS) for future Army systems. Phase II will develop isomer triggering technology bycharacterizing the triggering properties for three isomers. This technology will lead to a