Chapter 35: Hard To Conceal Excitement
News from China is not isolated, especially in this place Yanjing.
At least far from being as isolated as the outside world thinks, unable to access the latest science consulting, needing to rely on second-hand news relayed from the Soviet Union.
But the Manhattan Project was already something from over ten years ago, closely linked to Japan’s surrender, so the Chinese side could not possibly be unaware.
Hearing about the atomic bomb and the Manhattan Project, the middle-aged man quickly realized its use, whether it could help the ongoing 596 engineering.
Qian Xuesen’s DF series intercontinental missiles are certainly important, but the most important project for China right now is still 596 engineering.
He really could not suppress the excited feeling in his heart; he very clearly understood the situation China was facing at present, and what it would mean to have an atomic bomb.
At least at present, if China had an atomic bomb, in the negotiations with the Soviet Union over the border issue, they could grasp considerable initiative.
Instead of being as passive as they are now.
“That’s right, if my judgment is correct, it is the Monte Carlo Method.
It was concealed by Professor Lin in the application of high-dimensional integrals.”
Qian Xuesen excitedly smoked while pacing back and forth in the huge room, unable to hide his excited mood.
For present-day China, it was possible to know on some academic magazines that there was such a method.
On one hand, not knowing the specific details, and on the other hand, even if you knew how others used this algorithm, you did not have a computer capable of applying this method.
Far too behind in basic hardware.
So in the past, everyone had no motivation to figure out exactly what this thing was.
And the improved Monte Carlo Method is simply like a timely rain for present-day China.
“Look, its application scope is too broad; it can help the entire process of nuclear bomb research and development.
The core difficult problem of the atomic bomb lies in determining the critical mass of nuclear material, like the minimum quantity of uranium-235 or plutonium-239, as well as how neutrons diffuse, reflect, and trigger chain reactions in fissile material.
In the past, we could only rely on the Boltzmann Equation and experiments for repeated trial and error, with high cost and a very long entire cycle.
Now we can first use simplified geometry models to simulate high-probability neutron paths.
Look, Professor Lin here mentions introducing the concept of pseudo-random numbers to reduce the required computation amount.
Yes, I clearly worked with Von Neumann and saw the random number generator he built; how could I not think of using pseudo-random numbers to simulate neutron reflection frequency in different reflection layers.
I finally know why the Soviet Union’s atomic bomb explosion could be fully four years ahead of the original plan; they must know the complete set of Monte Carlo algorithms.”
The middle-aged man listened in stunned silence; does this thing have such great power? Able to save four years of time.
“Dean Qian, do you mean that if we master the Monte Carlo Method, we can also save four years?” The middle-aged man’s voice trembled; he thought again: “No, we must increase the effort to persuade him to return to China! Such top talent overseas is really a major loss for us.”
Qian Xuesen did not answer the latter, but continued on the previous issue:
“I don’t know how much time we can save, but at least we can greatly reduce the nuclear material explosion experiments.
By constructing a Monte Carlo model, introducing a pseudo-random number generator to reduce computation amount.
Performing multiple sampling on neutron lifetime, collision probability, and spatial distribution to quickly estimate critical thresholds under different materials configurations. At least able to shorten nuclear material trials that originally needed dozens of times to mature down to single digits.
This method must be organized with mathematics experts to sort it out, and after sorting, feedback to the 596 engineering side immediately.
Not a minute can be delayed!
There are a total of 37 cases here; must gather the power of all experts.
The Monte Carlo Method can not only be used in atomic bombs but also applied in the research and development of DF-1.
Here it is mainly through Monte Carlo to manufacture error, to optimize the design of missile redundancy structure and warhead structure, improving the missile’s hit precision.
Previously we planned precision to be controlled within three thousand meters; everyone knows clearly that this precision is very poor.
But after all, we are based on the Soviet Union’s P-2 modification; rather than calling it design, it’s more like following their ideas to train troops, exercise the talent team, and the DF-1 produced has a large gap with actual application.
But with the Monte Carlo Method for structural adjustment, just this one method alone, I am confident to reduce the precision to within 1000 meters.”
This is really not wrong; originally after the DF-1 test firing success, there was no follow-up, because this missile naturally has defects; the Chinese side developed this mainly to exercise the team, and it was not until DF-2 that large-scale deployment began.
The middle-aged man let out a long breath; only he knew how great their pressure was: “This way, the threat from the Soviet Union side is going bankrupt.
Dean Qian, with the DF-1 improved by the new method, when is the earliest it can test fire?”
And the originally formally deployed DF-2 was decided two months later, and at this time point China already knew that the Russians unilaterally tore up the expert cooperation agreement, and 1390 experts would all withdraw successively.
“Half a year, at most half a year; half a year later, definitely complete the test firing of DF-1 that can be used in actual combat!” Qian Xuesen also understood the inside story; he could see many reports and knew clearly the current situation.
In this situation, not steaming mantou but to catch a breath, without Soviet Union experts so what? You hide a hand so what? We can still build missiles better than P-1.
He interrupted: “But I always feel that Professor Lin still gave us some other surprise.
Only after Little Zhang brings back my notebook can I confirm what surprise it is.
But I vaguely have a premonition that this formula, after substituting my data, can get the result I want.”
Qian Xuesen had already walked to the blackboard; in front of him, a total of 12 blackboards occupied an entire wall in a four by three arrangement.
Using track pulleys to pull the blackboards up and down, moving the content he wanted to look at to the bottom.
Rustle rustle, the sound of pulleys friction on the tracks was exceptionally clear in the Science and Technology Committee office building late at night, but everyone present did not find this sound harsh; instead, they hoped Qian Xuesen could really discover something from these densely packed formulas.
“Dean, I brought it!” Zhang Kewen arrived at the Science and Technology Committee building panting; he did not dare delay a minute, with car escort the whole way, and he himself ran all the way.
Qian Xuesen dashed forward in one step, took the notebook from Zhang Kewen’s hand, quickly flipped through and found the page he wanted.
Then Qian Xuesen stood in front of a blackboard he had just moved to the bottom, staring fixedly at the blackboard, frowning tightly, hand frantically calculating on the notebook:
“That’s right, it’s this one!
Sure enough as I expected, this group of linear equations from Professor Lin indeed contains this layer of information!”
