A Review of Criticality Accidents A Review of Criticality Accidents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many people have contributed significantly to the completion of this second revision of
A Review of Criticality Accidents. The relative importance of the contribution of each person is
not intended by the ordering of names. Each person made a necessary contribution to the final
document.
For the Russian accident information:
Gennadiy T. Kirillov—Tomsk-7
Mikhail I. Kuvshinov—Arzamas-16
Dimitri M. Parfanovich—Kurchatov Institute
Aleksandr V. Romanov—Electrostal
Igor G. Smirnov—Arzamas-16
Gennadiy S. Starodubtsev—Mayak
A. P. Suslov—Mayak
Vladimir Teryokhin—Chelyabinsk-70
Aleksandr G. Ustyugov—Novosibirsk
Sergei Vorontsov—Arzamas-16
Isao Takeshita—Japanese Atomic Energy Research Institute
The U.S. authors are indebted to each of the above for answering innumerable questions,
often by telephone, at home, late at night in Russia in order to accommodate a mid-morning
meeting time in Los Alamos. In particular, we acknowledge that Igor G. Smirnov, Sergei
Vorontsov, Mikhail I. Kuvshinov, and Vladimir Teryokhin endured about three hours of “interrogation”
one night at one of the Los Alamos authors’ homes, and were recompensed only with a
meal. On another occasion, after a similar evening of questions and discussion, Gennadiy
Starodubtsev agreed to return two evenings later for another four-hour session, each time accepting
only a meal as payment. These evening sessions took place after a full day of other business
in Los Alamos. Gennadiy Starodubtsev was motivated by a personal desire to contribute to an
accurate, complete recounting of the seven Mayak accidents.
Barbara D. Henderson played a key administrative role in keeping the project on track in
many regards. She has been involved with the project from the time it was only an ill-defined
goal to the final product, a nearly eight-year span.
Charles T. Rombough assisted with this project for more than two years. He has provided
seamless transmission of information, text, figures, and photographs, in both English and Russian
languages, in addition to producing electronic files of all intermediate drafts.
Nellie Schachowskoj Shropshire and Olga Viddo provided both interpretation and translation
services for the many meetings, telephone calls, emails, and intermediate drafts.
Hugh C. Paxton once again, at the young age of 91 years, provided insightful and thoughtprovoking
comments on the technical content. He also contributed sharp editorial comments.
David R. Smith provided valuable comments on various drafts, particularly on lessons
learned from the accidents.
William R. Stratton provided valuable comments on early drafts of the report.
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