The "Atoms for Peace" program paves the way: Turkey's first experience with a nuclear research reactor

• Autores: Kaan Ata
• Localización: The Circulation of Science and Technology: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference of the European Society for the History of Science. Barcelona, 18-20 November 2010 / coord. por Antoni M. Roca Rosell, 2012, ISBN 978-84-9965-108-8, págs. 742-747
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • Turkey joined the Atoms for Peace program which aimed to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in 1955. It was the first country signing an agreement with the USA within the frame of the program. As part of the program, Turkey would establish a nuclear research reactor and the USA would provide the required knowledge, training and fission products to build and activate the reactor. The USA would also provide research facilities in American training centres to train Turkish scientists who will study nuclear energy.

    In this context, an Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) was established affiliated to the Prime Ministry of the Turkish Republic in 1956. The Commission was assigned to carry on all nuclear activities at national level and to provide coordination at international level. Within the framework of the AEC’s ‘atomic reactor’ project, a reactor of 1 MW named TR-1 was installed in agreement with the American Machine Foundry between the years of 1959-1962. Çekmece Nuclear Research and Training Center (ÇNRTC), which embodied this reactor, started the production of radioisotopes to be used in industry, agriculture, medicine and scientific researches in 1962. To meet the need for radioisotopes, a second reactor of 5 MW named TR-2 was installed in the same building and pool in 1984.

    This paper will deal with the following questions by exploring the role and the effect of ÇNRTC in the field of institutionalization of nuclear studies in Turkey: ÇNRTC has worked for meeting Turkey’s need for radioisotopes.

    Besides fulfilling this task, to what degree was ÇNRTC effective in researches and training activities in the nuclear field? Did ÇNRTC contribute to production of nuclear technology? Did it realize effective collaborations with national and international institutions? To what extent did ÇNRTC provide the infrastructure facilities for researches that have been done in the universities? What was the role of ÇNRTC in training researchers and experts in the field of nuclear physics?