The steady-state multiplication, M, of a subcritical system that is in equilibrium with an external/intrinsic source is defined as the total neutron-production rate divided by the external/ intrinsic neutron source rate, S. The total neutron-production rate, in this context, is the sum of the fission-production rate plus the source rate. Because the system is in equilibrium, the total neutron-production rate is identically equal to the loss rate from the system due to absorption plus leakage. If the source S is distributed identically to the fission source distribution (i.e., angle, energy, and space), then M will be related to the effective multiplication factor of the system, k{sub eff}, as M = 1/1-k{sub eff}
