An international team of researchers has developed a unique modeling system that could contribute to the future of nuclear energy production.

As explained in an Institute of Science Tokyo report posted by Phys.org, the researchers developed a five-dimensional approach that "accurately reproduces complex fission fragment distributions and kinetic energies in medium-mass mercury isotopes," providing an advancement in understanding nuclear fission.

The U.S. Department of Energy defines nuclear fission as "the process where the nucleus of an atom splits into two or more smaller nuclei and other particles."

This process is a crucial part of nuclear physics and produces an important source of energy that does not create significant planet-warming carbon pollution compared to fuel-burning power sources.

The team was led by Chikako Ishizuka, an associate professor from the Institute of Zero-Carbon Energy at the Institute of Science Tokyo.

Per the Phys.org post, the study "provides accurate predictions of fragment distributions and total kinetic energy" in elements beyond uranium and plutonium, which are the two most frequently used for nuclear fission, according to the DOE.

"The calculations presented in this work confirm that our 5D Langevin approach is a reliable tool for the theoretical predictions of the fission process observables," Ishizuka stated in the institute's report.

Though nuclear energy is commonly associated with waste, radioactivity, and historical meltdown hazards, it's also a more environmentally friendly form of power than many would expect.

According to the DOE, the Nuclear Energy Institute determined that nuclear power plants in the United States "avoid more than 430 million metric tons [nearly 474 million tons] of carbon dioxide emissions each year, which is the equivalent of removing roughly 95 million cars from the road each year."

This advancement can help reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and other forms of dirty energy, like coal, gas, and oil.

Utilizing a low-carbon energy source such as nuclear fission can benefit the environment by significantly decreasing the amount of planet-warming gases released into the atmosphere, thereby slowing the effects of ongoing global temperature increases. This can also have a positive impact on improving air quality, which can mitigate the risks of respiratory diseases.

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