Neutron shells

Technical Information
The neutron is a subatomic particle with no net electric charge and a mass slightly larger than that of a proton.

Neutrons are usually found in atomic nuclei. The nuclei of most atoms consist of protons and neutrons, which are therefore collectively referred to as nucleons. The number of protons in a nucleus is the atomic number and defines the type of element the atom forms. The number of neutrons determines the isotope of an element.

While bound neutrons in stable nuclei are stable, free neutrons are unstable; they undergo beta decay with a lifetime of just under 15 minutes (885.7 ± 0.8 s). Free neutrons are produced in nuclear fission and fusion. Dedicated neutron sources like research reactors and spallation sources produce free neutrons for the use in irradiation and in neutron scattering experiments.

Even though it is not a chemical element, the free neutron is sometimes included in tables of nuclides. It is then considered to have an atomic number of zero and a mass number of one.

Discovery
In 1930 Walther Bothe and Herbert Becker in Germany found that if the very energetic alpha particles emitted from polonium fell on certain light elements, specifically beryllium, boron, or lithium, an unusually penetrating radiation was produced. At first this radiation was thought to be gamma radiation, although it was more penetrating than any gamma rays known, and the details of experimental results were very difficult to interpret on this basis. The next important contribution was reported in 1932 by Irène Joliot-Curie and Frédéric Joliot in Paris. They showed that if this unknown radiation fell on paraffin or any other hydrogen-containing compound it ejected protons of very high energy. This was not in itself inconsistent with the assumed gamma ray nature of the new radiation, but detailed quantitative analysis of the data became increasingly difficult to reconcile with such a hypothesis.

Finally, in 1932 the physicist James Chadwick in the George Holt building at the University of Liverpool performed a series of experiments showing that the gamma ray hypothesis was untenable. He suggested that in fact the new radiation consisted of uncharged particles of approximately the mass of the proton, and he performed a series of experiments verifying his suggestion.

These uncharged particles were called neutrons, apparently from the Latin root for neutral and the Greek ending -on (by imitation of electron and proton).

Militairy History
When the war against the Global Liberation Army continued, China, with his superior Nuclear knowledge, found out how to keep the Neutron stable long enough to be used as an weapon.

In search for uses, the first application was to even further improve the defenses of the buildings, to arm the land mines surrounding the buildings with neutron shells. Because this is very expensive, a general first must have landmines, before he can arm them with neutrons.

It was possibly General Tsing Shi Tao|General Tsing Shi Tao who first developed a way to load up the shells of an Generals:Nuke Cannon with Neutrons.

Effect
"..."
 * Unlucky tankdriver, who drove onto a Neutron mine

The effect was devestating for all living beings, ripping apart there cellular structure, it desintegrated human cells, resulting in sudden death, leaving all metal (from belts to Overlords) and concrete intact.