Definitions for "Subcritical"
a reactor core is said to be subcritical when the number of neutrons emitted by fission is lower than the number of neutrons disappearing as a result of absorption or leakage
The state of having insufficient neutrons to sustain a fission chain reaction. A system whose effective multiplication factor is less than 1.0. Related to criticality. Related to effective multiplication factor. Related to supercritical.
reaction (nuclear) a reaction in which fewer than one of the neutrons from each fission event causes another fission event and the process dies out.