The physics of transmutation in critical or subcritical reactors

The physics of transmutation is presented with application to critical and subcritical reactors. The concept of the ‘neutron economy’ is used to indicate the most promising approaches. The impact of transmutation on the reduction of the radioactive waste radiotoxicity is underlined in the framework of different strategies for the implementation of transmutation in reactors. The need of experimental validation, in particular in the fields of nuclear data, of the physics of accelerator driven subcritical systems and of fuels dedicated to transmutation, is also mentioned. To cite this article: M. Salvatores, C. R. Physique 3 (2002) 999–1012.